Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
- A downward trend in pet ownership
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- Figure 1: Pet ownership, by type of pet, December 2012-April 2017
- Presence of children drives up pet ownership
- Housing/living situation has a major influence
- Spending on pets under threat when incomes are squeezed
- The consumer
- Strong emotional rewards linked to pet ownership
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- Figure 2: Words pet owners describe how their pets makes them feel, April 2017
- Overall health is pet owners’ primary concern
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- Figure 3: Concerns regarding pets, April 2017
- Pets’ appearance is high on the agenda
- Most dog owners’ holiday choice is based on their pet
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- Figure 4: Behaviours relating to pets, April 2017
- Self-service dog washes attract interest
- Exercise classes for dogs and their owners spark high interest
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- Figure 5: Interest in activities, services and products for pets, April 2017
- Pet toys have multiple benefits
- Pets in the workplace are widely seen to improve job satisfaction
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards pets, April 2017
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Brands can partner with health, fitness and weight loss initiatives for pets and their owners
- The facts
- The implications
- Harnessing the popularity of photo and video sharing can build engagement
- The facts
- The implications
- Big opportunities for products and services that focus on emotional wellbeing for pets
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- A downward trend in pet ownership
- Presence of children drives up pet ownership
- Housing/living situation has a major influence
- Spending on pets under threat when incomes are squeezed
Market Drivers
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- A downward trend in pet ownership
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- Figure 7: Pet ownership, by type of pet, December 2012-April 2017
- Having just one cat or dog is preferred
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- Figure 8: Number of pets owned, by type of pet, April 2017
- Presence of children drives up pet ownership
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- Figure 9: Overall pet ownership, April 2017
- Ageing population presents a challenge
- Housing/living situation has a major influence
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- Figure 10: Pet ownership, by location lived in, housing situation and household size, April 2017
- Figure 11: Trends in tenure, 1980-2015/16
- Spending on pets under threat when incomes are squeezed
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- Figure 12: Annual percentage change in CPI and AWE (regular pay), monthly basis, January 2012-April 2017
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Strong emotional rewards linked to pet ownership
- Overall health is pet owners’ primary concern
- Pets’ appearance is high on the agenda
- Most dog owners’ holiday choice is based on their pet
- Self-service dog washes attract interest
- Exercise classes for dogs and their owners spark high interest
- Pet toys seen to have multiple benefits
- Pets in the workplace are widely seen to improve job satisfaction
How Pets Make their Owners Feel
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- Strong emotional rewards linked to pet ownership…
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- Figure 13: Words pet owners describe how their pets makes them feel, April 2017
- …while negative feelings are rare
- Positive emotions provide the foundation for powerful marketing messages
- Women and small households have the strongest emotional response to pets
- Pet ownership can align with the booming health trend
Concerns Regarding Pets
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- Overall health is pet owners’ primary concern
- Technology has a growing role to play in health monitoring
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- Figure 14: Felcana dog and cat health monitor
- Figure 15: Concerns regarding pets, April 2017
- Weight warrants more concern
- Many pet owners welcome more information
- Weight loss programmes can offer structured support
- Scepticism over calming products, but still sizeable interest
Behaviours Relating to Pets
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- Pets’ appearance is high on the agenda…
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- Figure 16: Behaviours relating to pets, April 2017
- …and is influencing new product development
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- Figure 17: Share of pet food launches with claims relating to skin and coat health and teeth and tartar prevention, 2012-17
- Emphasis on appearance is great news for the pet care industry
- Popularity of dog shows likely to boost interest in grooming
- Sharing pictures of pets on social media is rife
- Pets becoming social media influencers
- Brands can leverage the popularity of photo sharing to build engagement
- Most dog owners’ holiday choice is based on their pet
- With implications for car design too
- International holidays with pets are on the rise
- Pet sitters can be an attractive alternative
- Pet cams can assuage owners’ concerns
Interest in Activities, Services and Products for Pets
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- Self-service dog washes attract interest
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- Figure 18: Interest in activities, services and products for pets, April 2017
- Exercise classes for dogs and their owners spark high interest
- The Kennel Club champions group exercise classes
- Foodservice can embrace consumers’ love for their pets…
- A need to be mindful of not deterring custom
- The leisure industry can also build on being pet-friendly
Attitudes towards Pets
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- Pet toys seen to have multiple benefits
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- Figure 19: Attitudes towards pets, April 2017
- Feeding can also provide mental stimulation
- Pets in the workplace are widely seen to improve job satisfaction
- Pet companies taking a lead in this respect
- However, there are some major pitfalls
- Time off work for a new pet can help build goodwill
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Consumer research methodology
- Abbreviations
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