Age Group
OVERVIEW
What is this field?
The Age Group field classifies what life stage the product is designed for. Nutritional needs, joint health, dental hardness, toy safety, and behavioral enrichment all vary dramatically by age. This field ensures the right product reaches the right animal at the right moment in their life.
Age group works across all species but is most critical for dogs, cats, and small animals. When in doubt, populate it — customers searching for "kitten food" or "senior dog joint supplement" are using age group logic whether your system supports it or not.
BUSINESS VALUE
Why this field matters
Nutritional formulations differ significantly between puppy, adult, and senior life stages
Toy safety varies by age: puppies need softer materials, seniors need gentler textures
Dental products are age-dependent: puppy teething chews vs adult tartar control
Life stage is a strong emotional purchase driver — owners feel understood when products match
Age-based email campaigns ("Is your puppy turning 1?") require structured age data
TECHNICAL SETUP
How to configure this field in Accentuate Custom Fields
Where
ACF dashboard → Templates tab → Product scope → Add new field
Label
Age Group
Name / Key
age_group
Namespace
accentuate (default)
Field type
Shopify >> Single-line text (List)
Multi-value
Yes — some products are formulated for Puppy and Adult simultaneously
Shopify >> List type is ideal here. Each life stage is a separate array element, enabling precise filtering and collection conditions.
STEP-BY-STEP IN ACF
In ACF, open Templates tab and select the Product scope
Click "Add new field"
Label: "Age Group" — Key auto-fills as "age_group"
Namespace: leave as "accentuate"
Field type: Shopify >> Single-line text (List)
Enable "Allow multiple selections" for products covering multiple life stages
Click Done, then Save
Open a food or supplement product and verify the field accepts life stage values
Shopify admin (optional pinning): Pin in Shopify admin via Settings → Custom data → Products. Namespace: "accentuate", Key: "age_group", Type: Single-line text (List). ACF picks up the existing definition automatically — green checkmark confirms alignment.
Repeatability: Shopify >> List is repeatable by nature. No repeatable section configuration needed in ACF.
REFERENCE VALUES
Example values — adapt to your catalog
Value
When to use
Puppy / Kitten
Under 1 year; higher protein, calcium, and calories for growth
Junior
1–2 years; transitioning from juvenile formulations
Adult
1–7 years (dog/cat); maintenance nutrition and standard products
Mature Adult
5–7 years; early senior considerations, joint and cognitive support
Senior
7+ years; lower calorie density, joint support, easy-to-chew textures
All ages
Appropriate and safe for any life stage; genuinely universal
BEST PRACTICES
Align age_group values with packaging and vet guidance language your customers already know
For supplements, be precise — joint support for "Mature Adult" differs from "Senior" formulas
For toys, note when a product is NOT suitable for puppies (choking hazard implications)
Use "All ages" sparingly — only when genuinely appropriate, not as a lazy default
Consider adding the actual age range in the product description alongside the life stage label
COMMON MISTAKES — AVOID THESE
Using "Young" and "Old" instead of standardized life stage terms
Setting "All ages" on food products that clearly have age-specific formulations
Forgetting that "Senior" starts at different ages for different breeds (giants age faster)
Omitting age group on dental products — this is safety-relevant, not just a filter
Conflating age with size: a small-breed adult needs different nutrition than a large-breed adult
IN CONTEXT — EXAMPLE PRODUCT
🐣 Grain-Free Salmon Dry Food — Senior Formula
Pet type: Dog
Age group: Senior (7+ years)
Breed size: M / Medium, L / Large
Dietary needs: Grain-free, High protein, Omega-3
Health support: Joint support, Cognitive function
Developer Implementation
Liquid note: Shopify >> List type returns a metafield object. Use .value to get the array, then loop over it.
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