Table of Contents
Introduction
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- Definition
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Executive Summary
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- Overview
- Pet food sales are estimated to reach $20.9 billion in 2014, up 12% by 2019
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- Figure 1: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of pet food market, at current prices, 2009-19
- Key players
- The retail channel
- Other retails have the largest percentage of sales at $15.2 billion in 2014
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales of pet food, by channel, at current prices, 2014
- The consumer
- Pet universe
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- Figure 3: Breakdown of pet ownership in the US
- More people are dog owners than cat or other types of pet owners
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- Figure 4: Types of pets owned, March 2014
- Dog food leading pet food segment but other pet food growing faster since 2012
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- Figure 5: Total U.S. retail sales of pet food, by segment, at current prices, 2012 and 2014
- Pet food is most likely to be purchased at Walmart
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- Figure 6: Where pet food is purchased, March 2014
- Pet owners rely on pet food package labelling for purchase decisions
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- Figure 7: Sources of information regarding pet food, March 2014
- Majority of pet owners spend more than 7 hours per week on pet-specific activities
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- Figure 8: Amount of time each week spent with pets, March 2014
- Feeding and playing are most common pet/pet-parent activities
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- Figure 9: Weekly activities with pets, March 2014
- Respondents view their pets as family members
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- Figure 10: Statements on pets and pet owners, March 2014
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- How far will the humanizing trend go?
- Insight: Pet food brands should look to people food for new product development
- Can organic pet food grow to live up to its media exposure?
- Insight: Pet parents seeking the best food are discovering organic through smaller brands
- How will the human focus on health and wellbeing impact pet food?
- Insight: Manufacturers who develop weight-management pet food with people-food attributes can appeal to pet parents
Trend Application
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- Trend: Prove It
- Trend: Edutainment
- Trend: Factory Fear
Market Size
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- Key points
- Pet food sales estimated to reach $20.8 billion in 2014
- Sales and forecast of the pet food market
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- Figure 11: Total U.S. sales and forecast of the pet food market, at current prices, 2009-19
- Figure 12: Total US sales and forecast of the pet food market, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2009-19
- Fan chart forecast
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- Figure 13: Total US sales and fan chart forecast of pet food market, at current prices, 2009-19
Market Drivers
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- Percentage of households with children is on the decline
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- Figure 14: US households, 2002-12
- Figure 15: Total US households, by presence of children, 2003-13
- Baby Boomers fuel some pet ownership growth
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- Figure 16: U.S. household population by age, 2009-19
- Employment and wage disparity impacts pet ownership
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- Figure 17: Median household income in US in inflation-adjusted dollars, 2001-11
- Figure 18: Annual costs to own a pet, by expense type
Segment Performance
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- Key points
- Dog food remains the largest pet food segment
- Sales of pet food, by segment
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- Figure 19: Sales of pet food market, includes biscuits/treats/snacks/beverages, segmented by type, 2012-14
Segment Performance – Dog Food
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- Key points
- Dog food sales driven by more expensive wet food
- Sales and forecast of dog food segment
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- Figure 20: U.S. sales and forecast of total dog food segment, includes biscuits/treats/beverages, at current prices, 2009-19
- Share of dog food by form
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- Figure 21: Share of total dog food sales*, by form, 2009-14
Segment Performance – Cat Food
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- Key points
- Cat food sales also driven by humanization and innovation
- Sales and forecast of cat food segment
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- Figure 22: Total US sales and forecast of cat food segment, includes snacks/beverages, at current prices, 2009-19
- Sales and forecast of cat food segment
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- Figure 23: Share of total cat food sales*, by form, 2009-14
Segment Performance – Other Pets
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- Key points
- As ownership of other pets has rebounded, so have sales of other pet food
- Sales and forecast of other food segment
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- Figure 24: Total U.S. sales and forecast of other pet food segment, at current prices, 2009-19
Retail Channels
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- Key points
- Other retail tops supermarket and drug store channels for pet food sales
- Sales of pet food, by channel
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- Figure 25: Sales of pet food market, by channel, 2012 and 2014
- Supermarkets fight to retain pet owner loyalty
- Sales of pet food, at supermarkets
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- Figure 26: U.S. supermarket sales of pet food, at current prices, 2009-14
- Drug store pet food sales show highest growth but smallest market share
- Sales of pet food, at drug stores
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- Figure 27: US drug store sales of pet food, at current prices, 2009-14
- Other channels continue to dominate pet food sales
- Sales of pet food, at other retail channels
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- Figure 28: US sales of pet food, through other retail channels, 2009-14
- Natural channel sales
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- Figure 29: Natural supermarket sales of pet food, treats, and snacks, by type, 2011 and 2013*
Leading Companies
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- Key points
- Big-four pet food companies continue to dominate
- Manufacturer sales of pet food
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- Figure 30: MULO sales of pet food at retail, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
Brand Share – Dog Food
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- Key points
- Nestlé continues to dominate in the dog food sector
- Manufacturer sales of dog food by brand
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- Figure 31: MULO sales of dog food at retail, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
Brand Share – Cat Food
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- Key points
- Nestlé and Big Heart Pet Brand remain the top players in cat food
- Manufacturer sales of cat food
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- Figure 32: MULO sales of cat food at retail, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
Brand Share – Other Pet Food
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- Key points
- Lesser-known companies dominate in other pet food
- Manufacturer sales of other pet food
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- Figure 33: MULO sales of other pet food at retail, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2013 and 2014
Innovations and Innovators
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- Organic pet food is trending but still a very small segment
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- Figure 34: Natural supermarket sales of pet food, by organic content, 2012 and 2014*
- Indulgence at a premium
- Eco-friendly packaging and humane production practices
Marketing Strategies
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- Overview of the brand landscape
- Theme: Using social media tools for pet/pet-parent bonding
- Theme: Altruism as a means for greater engagement with pet owners
- Theme: Pet love
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- Figure 35: Ad: Milk-Bone Commercial, October 27, 2013
Pet Ownership
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- Key points
- Dogs are the most popular type of household pet
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- Figure 36: Number of dogs or cats in household, March 2014
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- Figure 37: Number of other pets in household, March 2014
- Pet ownership declines with age
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- Figure 38: Type and number of pets in household, by age, March 2014
- Middle-income earners are more likely pet owners
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- Figure 39: Type and number of pets in household, by household income, March 2014
- Households with kids are more likely to own pets
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- Figure 40: Type and number of pets in household, by presence of children in household, March 2014
Time and Activities with Pet
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- Key points
- Pet ownership is a significant time commitment
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- Figure 41: Amount of time spent each week feeding, grooming, and playing with pets, March 2014
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- Figure 42: Weekly activities, March 2014
- Women spend more time taking care of pets than men
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- Figure 43: Amount of time spent each week feeding, grooming, and playing with pets, by gender, March 2014
- Young pet owners spend more time interacting with their pet
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- Figure 44: Amount of time spent each week feeding, grooming, and playing with pets, by age, March 2014
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- Figure 45: Dog training mobile application
- Figure 46: Weekly activities, by age, March 2014
- Highly affluent spend the most time with their pet
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- Figure 47: Amount of time spent each week feeding, grooming, and playing with pets, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 48: Weekly activities, by household income, March 2014
- Households without kids spend more time with their pets
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- Figure 49: Amount of time spent each week feeding, grooming, and playing with pets, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 50: Weekly activities, by presence of children in household, March 2014
Attitudes of Pet Owners
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- Key points
- Pets are family members
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- Figure 51: Pet perception and attitudes, March 2014
- Women have an emotional connection to their pets
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- Figure 52: Pet perception and attitudes, by gender, March 2014
- Pets are more like family for households without kids
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- Figure 53: Pet perception and attitudes, by presence of children in household, March 2014
Shopping for Pet Food
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- Key points
- One main purchaser of pet food per household
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- Figure 54: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by gender, March 2014
- Adults 35-44 are main pet food purchaser; older adults share the task
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- Figure 55: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by age, March 2014
- Walmart, supermarkets most common retail channel for pet food
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- Figure 56: Store bought pet food, by gender, March 2014
- Millennials are gravitating to online pet food shopping
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- Figure 57: Store bought pet food, by age, March 2014
- Millennial males/females shop different retail channels for pet food
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- Figure 58: Store bought pet food, by gender and age, March 2014
- Regional differences in pet food retail channel preferences
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- Figure 59: Store bought pet food, by region, March 2014
Pet Food Decision-Making
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- Key points
- Pet owners say flavor/taste that appeals to their pet is most important
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- Figure 60: Important factors to choose to buy pet food, March 2014
- Pet owner age determines what is important in pet food purchasing
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- Figure 61: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by age, March 2014
- Households with kids value organic pet food ingredients more; flavor, less
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- Figure 62: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by presence of children in household, March 2014
- Older pet parents rank pet food health, dietary factors more important than price
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- Figure 63: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by age, March 2014
- Pet food labelling and vet input importance increases with pet owner age for new pet food purchase consideration
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- Figure 64: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by age, March 2014
Pet Foods Bought – Dogs
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- Key points
- Pedigree most popular dry and wet dog food brand
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- Figure 65: Brands of dry dog food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
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- Figure 66: Brands of moist dog food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- Younger owners likely to have puppy food needs; older owners, age/health dog food needs
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- Figure 67: Types of dog food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- 25-34 year-old pet parents less likely to spoil their dogs with treats
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- Figure 68: Dog biscuit/treat usage, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- Milk-Bone and Beggin’ Strips most popular dog treat brands
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- Figure 69: Brands of dog biscuits/treats used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
Pet Foods Bought – Cats
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- Key points
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- Figure 70: Brands of dry cat food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- Friskies and Fancy Feast are top wet cat food brands
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- Figure 71: Brands of moist cat food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- Older cat owners buy senior cat food for their older cats
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- Figure 72: Types of dry cat food used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- 45-55 year-olds most interested in treating their cats with snacks
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- Figure 73: Cat treat/snack usage, by age, November 2012-December 2013
- Whiskas Temptations is top cat treat/snack
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- Figure 74: Brands of cat treat/snack used, by age, November 2012-December 2013
Pet Supplements/Vitamins – Dogs and Cats
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- Key points
- Pet supplements/vitamins used by almost one third of pet owners
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- Figure 75: Supplements/vitamin usage, by age, November 2012-December 2013
Pet Foods Bought – Organic
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- Key points
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- Figure 76: Organic pet food use, by age, November 2012-December 2013
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- Figure 77: Organic pet food use, by household income, November 2012-December 2013
- Figure 78: Organic pet food use, by education, November 2012-December 2013
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- Figure 79: Organic pet food use, by region, November 2012-December 2013
Race and Hispanic Origin
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- Key points
- Blacks less likely to be owners of any type of pet
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- Figure 80: Types of pets in household, by race, March 2014
- Hispanics are more likely dog owners
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- Figure 81: Types of pets in household, by Hispanic origin, March 2014
- Blacks less likely to spend extensive time with pets than Whites
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- Figure 82: Amount of type spent each week feeding, grooming and playing with pets, by race, March 2014
- Blacks and Whites focus on different types of pet activities
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- Figure 83: Weekly activities, by race, March 2014
- Pet-owner bonds are different, depending on race
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- Figure 84: Statements on pets & pet owners, by race, March 2014
- Race impacts type of dog food used
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- Figure 85: Types of dog food used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Beneful and Pedigree are popular dog food brands with Blacks and Hispanics
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- Figure 86: Brands of dry dog food used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Beneful and Pedigree most popular wet dog food among Blacks, Hispanics
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- Figure 87: Brands of moist dog food used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Blacks, Hispanics less likely to buy dog biscuits/treats
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- Figure 88: Dog biscuit/treat usage, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Milk-Bone most popular dog treat with Hispanics
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- Figure 89: Brands of dog biscuits/treats used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Blacks, Hispanics over index on Friskies dry food
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- Figure 90: Brands of dry cat food used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
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- Figure 91: Brands of moist cat food used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Blacks purchase more treats/snacks for their cats
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- Figure 92: Cat treat/snack usage, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Friskies and Meow Mix treats/snacks most popular with Blacks
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- Figure 93: Brands of cat treat/snack used, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
- Hispanics and Blacks more likely to buy pet supplements/vitamins
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- Figure 94: Supplements/vitamin usage, by race/Hispanic origin, November 2012-December 2013
Appendix – Other Useful Consumer Tables
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- Figure 95: Types of pets in household, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 96: Amount of type spent each week feeding, grooming and playing with pets, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 97: Amount of type spent each week feeding, grooming and playing with pets, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 98: Amount of type spent each week feeding, grooming and playing with pets, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 99: Amount of type spent each week feeding, grooming and playing with pets, by age, March 2014
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- Figure 100: Weekly activities, by gender, March 2014
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- Figure 101: Weekly activities, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 102: Weekly activities, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 103: Weekly activities, by region, March 2014
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- Figure 104: Statements on pets & pet owners, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 105: Statements on pets & pet owners, by region, March 2014
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- Figure 106: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 107: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 108: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 109: Store bought pet food, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 110: Store bought pet food, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 111: Store bought pet food, by store bought pet supplies, March 2014
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- Figure 112: Store bought pet food, by store bought pet supplies, March 2014
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- Figure 113: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by gender, March 2014
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- Figure 114: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 115: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 116: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by region, March 2014
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- Figure 117: Important factors to choose to buy pet foods, by commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 118: Important factors to choose to buy pet foods, by commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 119: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by gender, March 2014
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- Figure 120: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 121: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 122: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by region, March 2014
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- Figure 123: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by gender, March 2014
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- Figure 124: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by gender and age, March 2014
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- Figure 125: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 126: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by store bought pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 127: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by store bought pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 128: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by store bought pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 129: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by presence of children in household, March 2014
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- Figure 130: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, by race, March 2014
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- Figure 131: Very important factors to choose to buy pet food, by race, March 2014
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- Figure 132: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by race, March 2014
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- Figure 133: Types of pets in household, by gender, March 2014
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- Figure 134: Types of pets in household, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 135: Types of pets in household, by marital/relationship status, March 2014
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- Figure 136: Statements on pets & pet owners, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 137: Purchaser of pet food and supplies in household, March 2014
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- Figure 138: Stores bought pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 139: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 140: Commonly rely on information when purchasing a new type of pet food, by household income, March 2014
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- Figure 141: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, March 2014
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- Figure 142: Most important factors influencing purchasing pet food, by region, March 2014
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- Figure 143: Brands of dry dog food used, by gender, November 2012-December 2013
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Appendix – Information Resources Inc. Builders Panel Data Definitions
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- Information Resources Inc. Consumer Network Metrics
Appendix – Trade Associations
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