OBS Report: The Business of Loneliness
Unwanted loneliness becomes an endless source of business
- Unwanted loneliness is increasing among people aged 25 to 65, and with it, so are businesses focused on activities, wellness, and matching services.
- Young people under 25 now have far more opportunities to connect than previous generations, yet they have never felt so alone. Their mobile phone has become their true umbilical cord to reality.
- Meanwhile, businesses related to care and companionship for people over 65 are booming. Tourism companies are proliferating, offering genuine tours as part of their “farewell lists.”
March 2025. OBS Business School publishes the report The Business of Loneliness in Developed Societies, led by Professor Eduardo Irastorza. Loneliness is one of the greatest threats in the Western world, and while we might think it mainly affects the elderly, the truth is that it now spans all ages and social classes, with devastating effects—economic, emotional, and health-related. However, it is also shaping new business models, driving billions of euros, and sparking new entrepreneurial ideas.
The regions with the most unwanted loneliness
Despite their wealth, Europe and the United States are the regions where loneliness is most prevalent. On one hand, there is a growing population of people over 65 who require financial support and healthcare services. Many financial institutions have long been mobilizing to offer pension plans and investment portfolios to future retirees, and there is a growing boom in private health insurance. These insurances are becoming increasingly expensive, with such high demand that they can focus on high-profit clients and relegate the rest to the background in their business models.
This increasingly dependent segment of the population needs assistance and companionship—in short, to fulfill the human need to feel cared for, looked after, and loved. In response, companies are emerging that offer services such as cleaning, catering, companionship, training, shopping management, home renovations, medical assistance, or even all of these integrated. In some cases, this is carried out within residential complexes that meet every need and desire, from healthcare to leisure, socializing, or vacations anywhere in the world. The author states that:
They are true "residences 2.0" that go beyond simply housing and caring for their clients—they offer a full lifestyle, accessible to those with higher incomes. [...] Social Security faces the challenge of matching that quality of life and making it accessible to lower-income groups.
A topic as controversial as euthanasia will see a substantial increase in the future and is expected to become one of the leading causes of death. Switzerland, for example, already has extremely expensive clinics specializing in providing this service, which has also become a highly profitable business.
Depression fueled by loneliness: one of the most widespread illnesses
The feeling of loneliness has grown significantly in recent years, even among younger people. The leisure industry recognized this trend before others, which explains the huge proliferation of recreational activities like cooking classes, embroidery, DIY, or painting as a way to connect with others and meet new people. Emotional stability is becoming increasingly fragile and is heavily influenced by new lifestyles. We live with the sense that something special awaits us somewhere, prioritizing the search for personal happiness, a more nomadic and global professional life, which contributes to the growing number of people living alone in society. Spain holds the dubious honor of being the country in Europe with the most "single-person households." 4o mini
Fitness and everything related to wellness are activities that now generate millions of dollars; spas, massage and beauty centers, yoga and meditation ashrams, pilates classes, and dance centers all aim to contribute to emotional balance. And all of this is accompanied by what the pharmaceutical industry offers: relaxing medications, stimulants, and antidepressants, which are now more profitable than ever. Depression fueled by unwanted loneliness is one of the most widespread illnesses in the developed world. In fact, the number of sick leave hours taken for this reason is unmatched, and there are increasingly more psychological and psychiatric practices. At the same time, new and highly marketed spiritual centers of various orientations—Tibetan or Zen Buddhism, Hinduism, New Age, or Reiki—are proliferating. All of them promise to help you achieve emotional balance in exchange, often, for hefty payments. Alongside them rise gurus who claim to be able to guide you back to the path of happiness and self-affirmation. The results are often highly questionable, but the sums of money involved are substantial.
For this age group, the "matching" business in cyberspace is also on the rise. Dating apps and platforms generated 41 million euros in revenue in Spain in 2021.
The Paradox of Our Youth
We have never had a youth so well-educated, so prepared, and with stronger values living so closely alongside another that is so disengaged, manipulable, unmotivated, and, often, frustrated. It’s curious, but young people under 25 today have far more opportunities to connect than previous generations, yet they have never felt so alone.
The mobile phone has become their true umbilical cord to reality. Many of them interact with their friends almost exclusively in cyberspace, and often, they never meet them in person. Their self-esteem is based on the ability to gain followers, and in response, psychologists and sociologists warn about the growing difficulties they face in establishing lasting and deep relationships. These are vulnerable young people, unable to react to adversity or make an effort, which explains the increase in the consumption of anxiolytics and antidepressants within this population segment.
The transformation that the concept of family has undergone is also reflected in the way unwanted loneliness is faced. From the large traditional families, which bring together relatives from multiple generations and degrees, we have moved to nuclear families that only include parents and children, often with siblings from different parents.
For these Western families, pets have become another family member. In Spain, there are already more pets than children under the age of 3, and in fact, they help alleviate the loneliness of many people across all ages, social classes, and genders. They are often an essential part of their lives, and the emotional bond can be stronger than the one felt toward some people. The increase in recent years is notable: in 2010, over 70 million European households had pets; by 2023, this number had reached 166 million. From a business perspective, this represents a huge market that generates a large volume of employment. In 2023, more than 11 million tons of pet food were produced in Europe—more than in the United States—and over 2 million jobs were created, both direct and indirect. The leading company was the Belgian firm United Petfood, but two Spanish companies, Agroalimen and Affinity Petcare, are also in the top 10.
The limit is set by entrepreneurial creativity. We are facing what marketing experts call a true "blue ocean."
Content written by:
Carmen García-Trevijano
OBS Business School's Press Office
