Pampered pets: how the petcare industry is changing
Attitudes to pet ownership are changing. The global health and wellness market is growing as more of us are taking active steps to improve our minds and body, especially since the pandemic. Now this interest and spending is crossing over into the world of petcare.
It works both ways. Pets can have a positive role in human health and wellbeing, leading pet owners to pull out all the stops for their animals.
Standards of pet products and services are at an all-time high, with pet owners expecting the same high standards as the products and services they use themselves. We’re seeing the emergence of pet parents (rather than owners) with pets becoming equal family members. This change in behaviour is determining the future of pet care and changing the goalposts on pet health, care and nutrition.
We’ve been working with a famous pet food manufacturer to look closely at these trends and create a vision for its healthcare products, with the future health needs of pets at its centre. Based on our research and learning, we’re seeing three trends:
Trend 1: pet obesity
Pet obesity is a huge challenge, and can lead to a range of other health issues, from joint pain to gastrointestinal (GI) problems. It’s believed that nearly half of pets are overweight or obese globally. Consumers are looking for convenient and fun ways to keep their pets fit and healthy and are comfortable using technology to do this. This presents opportunities for the pet industry to create innovative products and services.
There are already some in the market and we’re seeing wearable technology that monitors pet activity on the rise. Pet parents can now get insights into exactly how walks are contributing to the health of their pets through UK-based PitPat. Their Activity Monitor for dogs tracks metrics such as activity time, rest time, calories burned, distance and weight, to give pet parents the information they need to keep their pet fit and healthy.
We’re also seeing manufacturers recognising the growing problem, with partnerships like Royal Canin and the PDSA addressing obesity in pets (which is one of PDSA’s top five pet welfare issues). Through the partnership, Royal Canin will help PDSA raise awareness of pet obesity through education and by offering Royal Canin’s science-based dog and cat food formulas at PDSA’s pet hospitals across the UK.
There are two key observations for us:
- There are more products for dogs than any other pets in this space.
- Obesity in pets isn't slowing down, leaving space in the market for other products and services to them fit and healthy.
Trend 2: pet wellbeing
Another area consumers are investing in is pet-focused wellbeing. These are the trends we’re seeing:
- Separation anxiety with the return to work has led to an increased demand for anxiety-reducing pet supplements
- Pets are becoming more pampered than ever, with brands launching new wellbeing products that were previously used only for their human counterparts.
- Wellbeing is going on-demand, with more vets offering 24/7 online service and prescription delivery. PetTech is the new space, with products enabling pet parents to understand more about their pets’ health status instantly.
- It’s extending into the pet insurance market. Lassie offers specialised insurance that helps pet parents improve the wellbeing of their pets, mimicking the Vitality model of life insurance. It offers online courses and content to help improve pet health. Part of the pull is a lower insurance premium if the courses are viewed (up to 25%).
Trend 3: sustainable petcare
Consumers are demanding more from their purchases when it comes to sustainability, and pet care is no different. Meat in kibble is responsible for 25–30% of the environmental impact of meat consumption in the US alone and we’re seeing similar in the UK. Eco-friendly pet food is on the rise as dog and cat owners become more aware of the impact of their beloved pet’s diet.
Brands are looking at how to become more sustainable and we’re seeing emergence of:
- Refill stations in supermarkets, allowing customers to use their own containers and cut down on packaging waste
- Home delivery services, cutting emissions and packaging waste
- More 100% recyclable packaging across product ranges
- Alternative ingredients with health benefits for pets, while reducing the environmental impact of producing pet food
- Wild Earth uses plant-based ingredients that produce high-quality protein, which are easy to grow at scale while needing far less resources to produce.
It’s not just the planet that benefits. In a survey of 3,000 of its customers, 86% reported health improvements in their pets after switching to Wild Earth products.
Written by Jon Arnett, Senior Innovation Consultant, and Gemma Slater, Senior Marketing Manager
If you’d like to find out more about our work with global FMCGs in the petcare industry, contact
