Press release

Canadian baby-boomers and retirees are among those least likely to worry about the effects of aging on their appearance

February 7, 2007

Montreal, February 7, 2007 – Canada is one of the countries where baby-boomers and retirees worry least about the effects of aging on the image they project. Only 20% of working people and 41% of retirees believe that they must do everything they can to prevent the effects of aging. The same applies to their German (27% of working people and 45% of retirees) and Australian (20% of working people and 33% of retirees) counterparts. This information is from the 2007 AXA Retirement Scope, an international study carried out among 11,590 persons in 16 countries.

It is very different in China, where 66% of working people and 73% of retirees believe they must do everything they can to prevent the effects of aging on their appearance.

Only 4.5% of Canadians say that they have turned to cosmetic surgery. Even though 9.5% of Canadian respondents insist they intend to resort to this type of treatment some day to change some aspect of their physical appearance they do not like, only 5.5% of them would do it to look younger. This represents a significant contrast with Australia and the Asian countries, whose respondents are more likely to turn to cosmetic surgery. 9.5% of Australians say they have already undergone this type of treatment, while the Japanese intend to do it to change an aspect of their physical appearance they do not like (21.5%) or to look younger (13.5%).

To feel great or to increase one’s power of seduction?
In Canada, most respondents feel that this type of treatment is used to make you feel great (75% of working people and 76% of retirees), while 33% of working people and 20% of retirees believe that it is mostly to improve one’s power of seduction. This is the complete opposite with Asians. 62% of Chinese working people and 40% of retirees believe that cosmetic surgery improves sex appeal. The same applies in Japan (42% of working people and 24% of retirees).

For the rich and famous…
As it is the case for the international average, nearly one third of Canadians (31% of working people and 42% of retirees), believe that cosmetic surgery is only for the rich and famous. Canada is also one of the countries where cosmetic surgery is least associated with rejuvenation (21%), a point on which Canadians agree with the other Anglo-Saxon countries. It is interesting to note that, contrary to the rest of Canada, Quebecers are more likely to believe that cosmetic surgery can rejuvenate a person’s appearance (40%).

And especially for women…
The sex of a person is also a very significant factor in the importance given to one’s image. Contrary to 20% of women, only 7% of working men throughout the world would turn to cosmetic surgery to look younger or to change an aspect of their physical appearance they do not like. The gap is even wider for those who purchase anti-aging products. 30% of working and retired women regularly purchase this type of product, vs only 7% of working and 3% of retired men.

Canada is also one of the countries that is less likely to consume anti-aging cosmetic products, and is within the international average for this item. Only 18.5% of Canadians use such products. Generally speaking, retirees tend to be more concerned about the image they project than working people.

The AXA Retirement Scope
The AXA Retirement Scope is an international study whose objectives are exploring and understanding the attitudes of the population towards retirement and comparing its image to its reality.

The study, whose sample includes both working people and retirees, was carried out among 11,590 persons in 16 countries, from August 14 to September 10, 2006, in Canada, by a consortium of research companies led by the GFK Group and represented by CROP in Canada. The analyzed countries are as follows: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherland, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore.

About AXA Canada
Operating throughout Canada, AXA Canada offers its clients, through its 2,250 employees and some 4,000 brokers and consultants, an extensive range of damage and personal insurance products and financial services. In 2005, its sales amounted to CAN$1.4 billion and its net earnings reached CAN$132.2 million. AXA Canada is a member of the AXA Group, a world leader in Financial Protection, whose activities take place mostly in Western Europe, North America and the Asia/Pacific region. In 2005, the AXA Group’s sales amounted to CAN$108.3 billion and its managed assets to CAN$1,459 billion.

You may examine all the Canadian results of the 2007 AXA Retirement Scope (with international comparison) on the following website: www.axa.ca