【明報專訊】BOOSTING silver consumption and attracting the elderly to join the labour market are among the goals of the government's Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy as it raises 30 measures. Although the government had measures to promote the silver economy, they were fragmentary and yielded limited results. Now it tries to enhance collaboration across bureaux and departments and joins hands with the business sector and various stakeholders to push forth the work. One hopes this will bring some substantial changes.
According to official estimates, the number of people aged 65 or above in Hong Kong will rise from 1.64 million in 2023 to 2.67 million in 2043, accounting for 35% of the total population. That means the silver market will comprise more than one-third of the city's consumer market by then. With its establishment announced in last year's Policy Address, the Working Group on Promoting Silver Economy has rolled out measures in five main areas, namely boosting silver consumption, developing the silver industry, enhancing silver financial and security arrangements, unleashing silver productivity, and promoting quality assurance of silver products.
Of the 30 measures announced yesterday (27 May), over one-third (11 items) are to boost silver consumption. They include collaborating with the catering sector to introduce senior-friendly dining options and meal concessions, while working with the Hong Kong Council of Social Service and major restaurant chains to promote ''soft meals'' tailored for people with swallowing difficulties.
Furthermore, the government will develop more cross-boundary elderly care insurance products, as well as strengthen financial planning and anti-fraud education for senior citizens. The Labour Department will hold more job fairs for the old and middle aged, and further explore measures to encourage people aged 60 or above to engage in employment.
The silver market exists all along, the question is whether the needs of the elderly are being addressed and fulfilled. Take ''soft meals'' as an example. Many senior citizens have long required such options, but restaurants mostly cater to the youth and worker market, often offering meaty dishes. Developing a silver economy is to guide the market to meet elderly needs, thereby creating economic value.
Lacking a strategy in the past, government measures to help with the silver economy failed to reach their full potential. Some of the working group's 30 measures, such as promoting the further development of the local annuity market and fostering a gerontechnology ecosystem, are actually existing measures or policies launched in recent years but reorganised within the ''five-area'' framework.
As for measures to be rolled out, they include developing guidelines on elderly-friendly banking services, an initiative advocated by the Consumer Council to meet senior citizens' needs in financial planning. The launch of a Silver Q-Mark Product Scheme, specifically for gerontechnology products, and the formulation of a ''Greater Bay Area Standard'' for the silver economy are also among the more important measures introduced.
To revitalise the silver economy, the spending power of the elderly must be unleashed. One way is to leverage annuities, bonds and reverse mortgages to help seniors generate stable income. Another way is to encourage enterprises to offer flexible and high-autonomy job opportunities to the ''young-olds'' who are still active and capable.
The five areas of the silver economy are in fact closely intertwined. The crux of the matter is how to form a virtuous circle of them. To provide greater momentum for the silver economy in the long run, the government should put more effort into developing the gerontechnology industry and guiding the labour market to facilitate flexible employment of the ''young-olds''.
明報社評 2025.05.28：銀髮經濟發展須加快 引導市場建良性循環
政府促進銀髮經濟工作組提出30項措施，促進銀髮族消費、吸引長者投入勞動市場等。以往政府雖有鼓勵銀髮經濟的措施，惟流於零碎，成效有限，現在政府嘗試加強跨部門統籌協作，伙拍商界及不同持份者推進其事，唯盼可以帶來實質轉變。
根據政府估算，本港65歲以上人口將從2023年的164萬，增長至2043年的267萬，相當於總人口的35%，意味屆時全港消費市場超過三分之一屬銀髮市場。去年《施政報告》宣布成立促進銀髮經濟工作組，循五大範疇推出措施，包括促進銀色消費、發展銀色產業、推廣銀色財務及保障安排、釋放銀色生產動力，以及推廣銀色品質保證。
昨天宣布30項的措施中超過三分一（11項）屬促進銀色消費措施，包括與飲食界合作，提供迎合長者喜好的餐膳體驗與飲食優惠，以及與社聯合作，與連鎖飲食集團推出專為吞嚥困難人士而設的「軟餐」。
另外，政府將開發更多跨境養老保險產品、加強長者的理財及金融防騙教育，勞工處將舉辦更多適合中高齡人士的招聘會，以及探討進一步鼓勵60歲或以上人士就業的措施等。
銀髮市場一直存在，問題是長者的需要，有沒有得到照顧及滿足。以「軟餐」為例，不少長者向來有這方面需要，然而食肆過去大多聚焦年輕人及打工仔市場，食物往往以「啖啖肉」為主。發展銀髮經濟，目的是引導市場滿足長者需要，並在過程中創造經濟價值。
以往政府雖有有助銀髮經濟的舉措，惟不見通盤策略，效果難免大打折扣。工作組30項措施中，諸如推動年金市場進一步發展、發展樂齡科技生態圈等，其實都是近年一些既有的措施及政策，統合放在「五大範疇」框架之內。
尚待推出的措施中，制訂「長者友善銀行服務指引」是消委會的倡議，盼可更好地照顧長者理財的需要；推出專為樂齡產品而設的「銀色Q嘜」、制訂銀髮經濟「灣區標準」，也屬較為重要的措施。
盤活銀髮經濟，必須釋放長者消費力，善用年金、債券和逆按揭市場，讓長者自製固定收入是一個方法；另一方法是鼓勵企業機構為有心有力的「少老」長者（young old），提供彈性及自由度高的工作機會。
銀髮經濟五大範疇其實是緊扣相連，關鍵是如何令到良性循環得以形成。長遠政府應多在樂齡科技產業發展，以及引導勞動市場改變、方便「少老」長者彈性就業這兩方面多下工夫，為銀髮經濟注入更大動能。
■/ Glossary 生字 /
annuity：a type of insurance that pays a fixed amount of money to sb each year
gerontechnology：an interdisciplinary field combining gerontology (the study of ageing) and technology to improve the lives of older adults
virtuous circle：a series of events in which each one seems to increase the good effects of the previous one