Pets Consumer Insights

Trend - Brands are creating dog foods with high-quality ingredients like real meat, fruits, and vegetables. These foods aim to emulate the nutritional advantages of raw diets while providing the ease of dry kibble, allowing pet owners to provide a balanced diet without the hassle of meal preparation.

Insight - Increasing costs have prompted numerous consumers to re-examine various high-cost aspects of their lives, including expenditures related to their pets. In response, pet owners who rely on a raw diet are turning to premium kibbles that claim to replicate the nutritional benefits of these diets while reducing costs. Businesses that cater to the demand for cost-effective and value-driven solutions in the pet industry are likely to gain traction among budget-conscious consumers.

Trend - DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice) pet supplements are derived from licorice root but undergo a process to remove the compound glycyrrhizin. These supplements have gained recognition for their efficacy in addressing various health issues, particularly those related to the digestive and respiratory systems.

Insight - Amidst the cost-of-living crisis, pet owners often seek products that allow them to proactively support their animals' health and avoid expensive medical fees. The accessibility of over-the-counter remedies helps owners reduce the likelihood of infections and other illnesses while eliminating everyday stressors like distance, cost, and scheduling associated with veterinarian visits. Brands that recognize the need for accessible, cost-conscious pet care solutions are able to appeal to these consumers.

Trend - Pet food companies are launching services that offer customized pet food blends for customers. These blends incorporate the optimal food for a pet based on a survey completed by the owner. These custom pet food blends work around pet allergies, dietary restrictions, and flavor preferences.

Insight - While many dogs enjoy eating nearly any kind of food, there are both dogs and cats that are more selective of the food they eat, often refusing to eat certain blends. This challenge is exacerbated when pets have allergies that make finding a suitable diet for them more difficult. These pets still require a balanced diet, though, placing the onis on the owner to find pet food with specific ingredients. Pet food brands recognize this challenge, and are launching custom pet food services.

Trend - Companies are adding artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features to pet products to improve safety and quality of life. These features include facial recognition, disease detection, weight tracking, and more, which help pet owners understand their animals' needs.

Insight - AI has increasingly played a role in tracking and maintaining human health, and the technology is now being used to automate other areas of our lives. Consumers often desire peace of mind when it comes to their pet's safety or boredom, especially when they are away from home. Busy consumers who want to maintain a high standard of pet care can rely on AI technology to maintain their animal's health without incurring a hefty veterinarian bill.

Trend - Pet brands are creating pet meal enhancers that are based in the same wellness trends that appeal to consumers for their own purchases. Cultured meat, alternative protein and wellness marketing are being re-presented to pet parents--allowing brands to stand out in a competitive market.

Insight - The "humanization" of pets is a trend that's pushed the growth of the pet care industry--where consumers' want the same standards and quality of life for their pets as they create for themselves. Now, more consumers are taking the same approach to buying for their pets as they do their own purchases--through educating themselves about the products, making ethical choices, and adapting their purchases to their pets' individual needs and preferences.

Trend - Pet owners are becoming more attracted to green, plant-based supplements, foods, and treats because they believe they are healthier and more nutrient-rich than regular pet products. By incorporating this ingredient, consumers believe they can provide their pets with the elements needed for a long and healthy life.

Insight - Pet brands incorporate and highlight nutritional ingredients in pet care products to appeal to health conscious consumers. As consumers become more aware of what they’re putting into their bodies, they are starting to recognize the importance of prioritizing their pet’s internal and external health the same way they would their own. Additionally, pet food brands are engaging in the "humanization" of pet food, which helps consumers provide their pets with an indulgent treat the same way they would their own family.

Trend - Brands in the pet product space have created smart feeders that go beyond timed automatic food release. These feeders use RFID sensors that read microchips either embedded in a pet collar or a pet itself. These feeders prevent pets from stealing each other's food in multi-pet households.

Insight - More individuals have pets now than they did five years ago, largely due to the pandemic leading to an influx in "Covid puppies." As a result, many households are now home to multiple pets, such as a cat and a dog, or two pets of different ages with dietary restrictions. Additionally, these consumers are not always able to separate pets to ensure they do not steal each other's food. Pet-authenticating feeders solve this problem by only allowing the intended pet to access its food.

Trend - As upcycling food, fashion and various materials becomes more common, the pet industry is taking note. Now, everything from pet treats to beds are being made with ingredients and materials that would otherwise be discarded.

Insight - As sustainability becomes top of mind for consumers, more people are searching for both micro and macro ways that they can change their lifestyles in order to reduce their environmental footprint. Upcycled products are one way that consumers can be assured that a brand cares about sustainability, without simply paying lip service to it.

Trend - Preventative pet health has become a priority for more pet owners, and brands have been responding to this with products that help enhance the wellbeing of pets. Now, pet food brands are promising stress-relief foods and treats for both cats and dogs.

Insight - Preventative health has become a focus for health-conscious consumers, and this shift is now being extended to pets. The priority now is to focus on long-term wellbeing, rather than trying to resolve or treat health issues only as they come up.

Trend - The pet care industry is increasingly prioritizing sustainability, and this can now be observed in packaging solutions that are either recyclable or reusable. This include everything from the use of reusable aluminum packaging, to nationally recyclable packaging.

Insight - The average consumer is taking more time assessing where their lifestyles don't align with their emerging eco-based priorities. With climate change causing more anxiety among consumers, people are searching for ways they can reduce their own impact.