Table of Contents
Scope and Themes
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- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Holding steady during and after recession
- Making things easier and more pleasant for cat owners boosts litter sales
- Dog/cat needs will feel the impact of generic flea/tick treatments
- Rawhide sales weak on safety concerns
- Non-dog/cat needs suffer from the decline of small animal ownership
- Reflecting economizing mindset, private label trends up
- Pet population and ownership hold steady
- Households with kids own more pets...
- …but the number of households with kids is declining
- Pet health issues awareness on the rise
- Big pet chains win on selection, service, and prices
- Category-wide company market share determined mostly by litter
- Successful new products facilitate healthy relationships
- Shelters and rescues: a popular choice for pet owners
- Strong, deep emotional bonds
- Toys and grooming products are essentials; furniture and clothing less so
- Despite growth of e-commerce, seeing and feeling are still believing
- In-store experience most important to info-seeking pet supplies shoppers
- Price/good value tops other considerations by a wide margin
Insights and Opportunities
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- Competing with the big-box stores
- Merchandise knowledge
- Join the club
- Shared experiences
- Taking pet ownership (and pet supplies sales) to another level
- Households without children
- Hispanic households
Inspire Insights
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- Inspire Trend—Life Hacking
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- Figure 1: Attitudes toward pets, by gender, May 2011
- Consider this
- Bottom line
Market Size and Forecast
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- Key points
- Steady pet ownership rates provide foundation for supplies sales
- A solid emotional foundation for category sales
- New and improved products continue to find willing market
- Increased focus on value and price keeps growth in check
- Economic direction may have greater impact on the next five years than on the last
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- Figure 2: Total U.S. sales and forecast of pet supplies, at current prices, 2006-16
- Figure 3: Total U.S. sales and forecast of pet supplies, at inflation-adjusted prices 2006-16
- Walmart sales
- Fan-chart forecast
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- Figure 4: FDMx sales and fan forecast of pet supplies, at current prices, 2006-16
Market Drivers
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- Key points
- Pet population appears to hold steady
- Weak economy leads to more surrenders at shelters
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- Figure 5: U.S. pet population, 2005-11
- Households with kids own more pets
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- Figure 6: Types of pet owned, by presence and number of children in the household, May 2011
- However, the number of households with kids is declining
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- Figure 7: Households, by presence of children younger than 18, 2000-10
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- Figure 8: Population of children younger than 18, by race/Hispanic origin, 2006-16
- Pet health issues and awareness on the rise
Competitive Context
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- Key points
- Reflecting an economizing mindset, private label trends up
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- Figure 9: FDMx pet supplies private label market share, by segments, 2006-11
- Other pet expenditures: food
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Litter segment leads category in sales growth and share
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- Figure 10: U.S. sales of pet supplies, segmented by type, 2010 and 2011
Segment Performance—Litter and Deodorant
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- Key points
- Making things easier and more pleasant for cat owners boosts litter sales
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- Figure 11: U.S. sales of litter and deodorant, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Dog/Cat Needs
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- Key points
- Frontline patent expiration set to alter flea/tick dynamics
- Supplements, medicines reflect increasing health focus of category
- Other products address a broad diversity of needs
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- Figure 12: U.S. sales of dog/cat needs, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Dog Rawhide Chews
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- Key points
- Rawhide suffers from safety image
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- Figure 13: U.S. sales of dog rawhide chews, 2006-16
Segment Performance—Non-dog/cat Needs
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- Key points
- Diverse segment suffers from declining ownership
- Opportunity to reignite interest in small animals
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- Figure 14: U.S. sales of non-dog/cat needs, 2006-16
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Pet specialty stores strengthen their leadership position
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- Figure 15: U.S. sales of pet supplies, by retail channel, 2010 and 2011
Retail Channels—PETCO, PetSmart, Veterinarians’ Offices, Other Retailers
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- Key points
- Big pet chains win on selection, service, and prices
- Increasingly comprehensive care
- New PETCO tagline emphasizes health
- Veterinary clinics see merchandise sales decline
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- Figure 16: U.S. sales of pet supplies through PetSmart, PETCO, veterinary offices, and other retail channels, 2006-11
Retail Channels—Supermarkets
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- Key points
- Supplies sales flat in supermarkets
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- Figure 17: U.S. sales of pet supplies through supermarkets, 2006-11
Retail Channels—Drugs and Mass Merchandisers
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- Key points
- Sales growth stalls at drug stores and mass merchants
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- Figure 18: U.S. sales of pet supplies through drug and mass merchandisers, 2006-11
Retail Channels—Natural Supermarkets
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- Key points
- Insights
- Sales of pet food in the natural channel
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- Figure 19: Natural supermarket sales of pet care, at current prices, 2008-10*
- Figure 20: Natural supermarket sales of pet care, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2008-10*
- Natural channel sales by segment
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- Figure 21: Natural supermarket sales of pet care, by segment, 2008 and 2010*
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Market share of leading brands determined mostly by dog/cat litter
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- Figure 22: U.S. Manufacturer FDMx sales of pet supplies in the U.S., 2010* and 2011*
Brand Share—Dog/Cat Litter
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- Key points
- Brands compete with line extensions, new and improved varieties
- Tidy Cats holds lead with broad lineup, upgrades its premium line
- Arm & Hammer gets specific, wins share
- Natural products make small gains in FDMx
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- Figure 23: Select FDMx brand sales and market share of dog/cat litter in the U.S., 2010* and 2011*
Brand Share—Dog/Cat Needs
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- Key points
- In a segment of specialists, Hartz and Sergeant’s lead as generalists
- Sergeant’s makes a major move in flea and tick protection
- Private label gains
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- Figure 24: Select FDMx brand sales and market share of dog/cat needs in the U.S., 2010*and 2011*
Brand Share—Dog Rawhide Chews
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- Key points
- Hartz falters
- Private label continues to gain
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- Figure 25: Select FDMx brand sales and market share of dog rawhide chews in the U.S., 2010* and 2011*
Brand Share—Non-dog/cat Needs
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- Key points
- A diverse collection of small brands
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- Figure 26: Select FDMx brand sales and market share of non-dog/cat needs in the U.S., 2010* and 2011*
Innovations and Innovators
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- Key points
- Facilitating healthy relationships
- Health and wellness
- Beauty care
- All in the family
- Natural and organic
Brands and Marketing Strategies
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- Key points
- Overview
- Tidy Cats advertising focuses on premium line upgrade
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- Figure 27: Purina Tidy Cats odor TV ad, 2011
- Figure 28: Purina Tidy Cats dust TV ad, 2011
- Online promotion: Pet Projects Design Challenge
- Fresh Step’s carbon takes on Arm & Hammer’s baking soda
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- Figure 29: Fresh Step TV ad, 2011
- Fresh Step’s Paw Points Rewards
- Frontline faces new competition
- Frontline online
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- Figure 30: Frontline Plus TV ad, 2011
- Pet Armor emphasizes efficacy and price
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- Figure 31: Pet Armor Plus TV ad, 2011
Pet Ownership
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- Key points
- Pet ownership holds steady at a little more than half of U.S. households
- Dogs and cats stay on top, birds and fish fall behind
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- Figure 32: Pet ownership, by types of pet owned, 2006-10
- Older adults less likely to own pets
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- Figure 33: Pet ownership by types of pet owned, by age, February 2010-March 2011
- Pet ownership only moderately dependent on household income
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- Figure 34: Pet ownership by types of pet owned, by household income, February 2010-March 2011
- Households with kids more likely to have pets
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- Figure 35: Pet ownership by types of pet owned, by presence of children in the household, February 2010-March 2011
- Popularity of small dogs creates merchandising opportunity
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- Figure 36: Type of dog owned by size, by age, May 2011
Pet Acquisition
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- Key points
- Shelters and rescues most frequently cited acquisition source for dogs
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- Figure 37: Source of most recent dog acquiring, by household income, May 2011
- Shelters and rescue organizations top among cat owners as well
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- Figure 38: Source of most recent cat acquiring, by household income, May 2011
Attitudes toward Pets
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- Key points
- Strong, deep emotional bonds
- Woman’s best friend
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- Figure 39: Attitudes toward pets, by gender, May 2011
- Pet owners without kids more likely to view pets as family members
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- Figure 40: Attitudes toward pets, by presence of children in household, May 2011
Products and Services
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- Key points
- Toys and grooming products are essentials, furniture and clothing less so
- Holistic healthcare products hold untapped potential
- Younger pet owners show interest in an array of products
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- Figure 41: Pet products purchased, by age, May 2011
- Income modestly influences likelihood of toy, grooming aid, furniture purchases
Purchase Venues for Pet Supplies
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- Key points
- Pet supplies consumers shop at a variety of channels
- Younger pet owners gravitate to PetSmart, PETCO, and Target
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- Figure 43: Retailers used for in-person pet supplies purchases, by age, May 2011
- Higher-income shoppers more likely to avoid Walmart
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- Figure 44: Retailers used for In-person pet supplies purchases, by household income, May 2011
- Online retail has plenty of room for growth
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- Figure 45: Retailers used for pet supplies online purchases, by age, May 2011
Attitudes toward Pet Supply Store Specialists
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- Key point
- Big-box pet stores hold lead in pet shopping experience
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- Figure 46: Attitudes toward pet supply store specialists, by age, May 2011
Attitudes toward Buying Pet Supplies at Online and In-person Venues
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- Key points
- Despite growth of e-commerce, seeing and feeling are still believing
- Female shoppers more engaged both online and off
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- Figure 47: Attitudes toward buying pet supplies, by gender, May 2011
- Opportunity to combine the best of in-store and online shopping
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- Figure 48: Attitudes toward buying pet supplies, by age, May 2011
- Pet supplies shoppers want a hands- and eyes-on shopping experience
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- Figure 49: Attitudes toward buying pet supplies, by stores shopped, May 2011
Information Sources for Pet Supplies
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- Key points
- In-store experience most important to info-seeking pet supplies shoppers
- Price and discounts are keys to online shopping
- Social media starting to catch on in pet supplies
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- Figure 50: Sources of information for pet supplies, by age, May 2011
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- Figure 51: Sources of information for pet supplies, by household income, May 2011
- Mass market pet supplies shoppers somewhat less likely to browse
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- Figure 52: Sources of information for pet supplies, by stores shopped, May 2011
Important Purchase Decision Factors for Pet Supplies
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- Key points
- Price/good value tops other considerations by a wide margin
- Focus on price/value doesn’t necessarily lead to the cheapest brand
- Recommendations from others only modestly important, with the exception of the vet
- Women attuned to more criteria when selecting pet supplies
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- Figure 53: Important purchase decision factors for pet supplies, by gender, May 2011
- Price/value important to all owners at all income levels
- Lower-income pet owners value vet recommendations
- Durability important to upper-middle-income pet owners
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- Figure 54: Important purchase decision factors, by household income, May 2011
Nutritional Supplements
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- Key points
- Supplements offer additional path to specific health benefits
- Teaming with food brands to offer greater customization in supplements
- Younger pet owners more interested in supplements
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- Figure 55: Reasons for giving nutritional supplements to pets, by age, May 2011
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- Figure 56: Types of nutritional supplement given to pets, May 2011
Impact of Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Whites more likely to own pets, but Hispanics gaining rapidly
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- Figure 57: Pet ownership and types of pet owned, by race/ethnicity, February 2010-March 2011
- Hispanic pet ownership rates increase between 2006 and 2010
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- Figure 58: Types of pet owned, by Hispanic/not Hispanic, 2006 and 2010
- Blacks and Hispanics take a more indulgent approach to pet ownership
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- Figure 59: Pet products purchased, by race/ethnicity, May 2011
- Price/good value the top purchase consideration among all groups
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- Figure 60: Important product attributes for pet supplies, by race/ethnicity, May 2011
- Blacks somewhat less likely to view pets as members of the family
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- Figure 61: Attitudes toward pets, by race/ethnicity, May 2011
- Hispanics take an active approach to supplies shopping
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- Figure 62: Pet sources of information for pet supplies, by race/ethnicity, May 2011
Cluster Analysis
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- Value-Driven Lonely Hearts
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Abundant Trainers
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Family Fidos
- Demographics
- Characteristics
- Opportunities
- Cluster characteristic tables
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- Figure 63: Pet supplies clusters, May 2011
- Figure 64: Types of pet owned, by pet supplies clusters, May 2011
- Figure 65: Important product attributes of pet supplies, by pet supplies clusters, May 2011
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- Figure 66: Attitudes toward buying pet supplies, by pet supplies clusters, May 2011
- Cluster demographic tables
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- Figure 67: Pet supplies clusters, by gender, May 2011
- Figure 68: Pet supplies clusters, by age, May 2011
- Figure 69: Pet supplies clusters, by household income, May 2011
- Figure 70: Pet supplies clusters, by race, May 2011
- Figure 71: Pet supplies clusters by Hispanic origin, May 2011
- Cluster methodology
Custom Consumer Groups
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- Key points
- Dog people versus cat people
- Dog owners more likely to buy or be interested in wider array of supplies
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- Figure 72: Pet supplies purchased, by dog and cat ownership, May 2011
- Saving money is important to all
- Dog owners value durability and recommendations from credible sources
- Cat owners more loyal to brands
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- Figure 73: Important product attributes of pet supplies, by dog and cat ownership, May 2011
- Two-species owners enjoy especially tight relationships with their pets
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- Figure 74: Attitudes toward pets, by dog and cat ownership, May 2011
- Two-species owners are active, value-conscious shoppers
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- Figure 75: Pet sources of information, by dog and cat ownership, May 2011
IRI/Builders—Key Household Purchase Measures: Cat Litter
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- Consumer insights on key purchase measures—cat litter
- Brand map
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- Figure 76: Brand map, selected brands of cat litter buying rate by household penetration, 2010*
- Brand leader characteristics
- Key purchase measures
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- Figure 77: Key purchase measures for the top brands of cat litter, by household penetration, 2010*
Appendix—Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 78: Type of dog owned by size, by household income, May 2011
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- Figure 79: Attitudes toward pets, by age, May 2011
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- Figure 80: Attitudes toward pets, by household income, May 2011
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- Figure 81: Pet products purchased, by presence of children, May 2011
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- Figure 82: Sources of information for pet supplies, by gender, May 2011
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- Figure 83: Attitudes toward pet supply store specialists, by gender, May 2011
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- Figure 84: Reasons for purchasing nutritional supplements for pets, by household income, May 2011
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- Figure 85: Pet products purchased, by gender, May 2011
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- Figure 86: Retailers used for pet supplies online purchases, by gender, May 2011
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- Figure 87: Retailers used for pet supplies online purchases, by household income, May 2011
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- Figure 88: Retailers used for in-person pet supplies purchases, by gender, May 2011
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- Figure 89: Attitudes toward buying pet supplies, by household income, May 2011
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- Figure 90: Important purchase decision factors, by age, May 2011
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Appendix—IRI/Builders Panel Data Definitions
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- IRI Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix—Trade Associations
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