Pet food market survey report: purchasing demand varies greatly with pet type

Pets occupy a core position in American families, and many people regard pets as an important family member. According to statistics, 90 million American families have at least one pet. During the epidemic quarantine period, pets have become a good partner to relieve everyone's stress and bring vitality to the boring quarantine life. The increase in the number of families with pets also means that the market for pet products is getting bigger and bigger.

The American Pet Products Association ( APPA) conducts a market survey every two years. According to the survey results conducted from late 2020 to early 2021, American owners spent an average of $287 on dog food and $254 on cat food in 2020. These two amounts have increased by about 11% compared to the data from the last survey.

In addition to spending on pet food, according to data from Julie Springer , market research analyst at APPA , owners' spending on snacks has also seen strong growth in the past two years. Owners spent an average of $81 on dog snacks , up 6.5% from the last survey in 2018; the average spending on cat snacks was $72, up 24% from 2018.

Based on the results, the researchers also found changes in the data on the types and attributes of pet food purchased by owners, with a surge in online pet food purchases.

Because of the importance they place on their pets, owners also pay more attention to quality when buying food. 41 % of dog owners choose high-quality dog ​​food, and 39% choose to buy ordinary dog ​​food; while cat owners are the opposite, with 37% choosing ordinary cat food and only 24% choosing premium cat food.

APPA also found that cat owners are interested in purchasing foods with special effects, such as those for weight control, digestive health, indoor formula for cats, and hairball management.

The data shows that the choice of pet food by owners will vary depending on the type of pet. When selecting and listing products, sellers should do a good job of prior research and choose different products based on the differences in pet types.

On the other hand, APPA also found that pet owners are buying more pet products online, with 50% of dog owners saying they buy more pet products online, compared to 48% of cat owners.

Among owners who buy pet food online, the most popular delivery method is store pickup, followed by home delivery, but trends predict that home delivery will increase in the coming year.

It is worth noting that   Packaged Facts predicts that the development momentum of pet food e-commerce will continue. By 2025, the amount of pet food e-commerce consumption in the United States will grow at a compound annual growth rate of 18.8%, while the proportion of physical stores will drop to 1.7%.

Pet Food

Pet Market