Pet Market - Market Research, Industry Trends, Market Share, Consumer Insights


Published: 03/30/2021
Pages: 311
Full Study Price: US$ 4,750

The overall impact of COVID-19 on the pet industry looks nothing like what seemed unavoidable during the early months of the pandemic. Instead, 2020 turned out to be a banner year, according to the report U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2021-2022 by Packaged Facts.

In 2020, the pet market boasted overall sales growth of 9.3%, well above the pre-pandemic expectation of approximately 5% and the 2014-2019 compound annual growth rate of 5.4% — bringing total pet industry sales to $107.3 billion.

The market’s performance was, however, uneven between the retail product and service sectors, with the former up 15.8% in 2020 to $66.9 billion and the latter down 0.1% to $40.4 billion, compared with the 4%-7% annual growth rates of previous years.

In Packaged Facts’ February 2021 Survey of Pet Owners, across all four pet industry product and service sectors, a higher percentage of pet owners reported spending more on their pets in 2020 as opposed to less, with 35% of pet owners overall increasing spending and just 7% decreasing spending.

The gap was widest for pet food, at 29% increasing vs. 5% decreasing, and impressive as well for non-food pet supplies (22% vs. 8%) and veterinary services (25% vs. 10%). Even non-medical pet services, hard hit by the travel bust and at-home sheltering, saw slightly more pet owners reporting a spending increase (14%) rather than decrease (11%).

U.S. Pet Market Outlook, 2021-2022 covers:

  • U.S. pet market size and growth
  • Key market drivers, including the impact of the pandemic
  • Pet industry trends to watch in 2021 and 2022
  • Pet e-commerce, retail trends, and changing shopping patterns
  • Pet population and pet ownership trends
  • New opportunities in the pet market
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Table Of Contents

  • Executive Summary
    • Scope & Methodology
      • Scope of Report
      • Report Methodology
    • Market Size and Growth
      • Pet Industry Reset: Above Average Growth in Three of Four Sectors
      • Pet Product and Service Spending Per Pet-Owning Household
      • Retail Channel: Pandemic Accelerates E-commerce
      • Looking Ahead: Growth Market-wide Through 2025
        • Table Projected 2021-2025 U.S. Retail Sales of Pet Products and Services: By Sector (in billions of dollars)
    • Market Drivers
      • COVID Economy Impact on Pet Owner Spending Mindset
      • Pandemic Intensifies Focus on Health and Wellness
      • Pandemic Fuels Pet Population Boom
      • Dog and Cat Ownership Down Among Lower-Income Households
      • Catering to Deal-Seekers
      • Pandemic Accelerates Digital Pet Care
      • Pet Rescue Efforts Ramp Up During Pandemic
      • Sustainability and Animal Welfare
      • Investment and M&A
    • Overall Industry Trends
      • Pandemic Reset: Birdseye View
      • Industry Overview
    • Focus on Pet Food & Treats
      • Pandemic Reset: Accelerated Innovation
      • Channel Choices
      • Pet Food Industry Investment Shows Strategic Directions
      • Four Natural Pet Food Pioneers Change Hands
      • Superpremium
      • Fresh Pet Food
      • Sustainable Dovetailing with Alternative Protein
      • Science-Based Diets Dovetailing Into Natural
      • Lessons in DCM/Grain-Free Stumble
    • Focus on Non-Food Pet Supplies
      • Pandemic Reset: Health, Home, New Pets
      • Channel Choices
      • Pet Supplements in COVID Overdrive
      • Pet Medications Also Riding COVID-Driven Hyper Health Wave
      • Focus on Home: Pets, Products, Positioning
      • BarkBox/Northern Star Merger Klieg-lights Subscription/DTC Sales
      • "Smart" Products Get Pandemic Push
    • Focus on Veterinary Services
      • Pandemic Reset: Adaptation to the COVID Crisis
      • The Internet Challenge
      • The "Retail-ization" of Vet Care
      • Telemedicine and the Digitalization of Vet Care
      • Success of Curbside
      • Peak Usage Rates for Veterinary Services
      • Generation Gap Hurdles Remain
      • Veterinary Visit Patterns
    • Focus on Non-Medical Pet Care Services
      • Pandemic Reset: Travel Bust, DIY Pet Care Shift Dampen Spending
      • PetSmart and Petco (Even Further) All In On Services
      • Independents Also Big On Pet Services
      • Walmart Launches Walmart Pet Care
      • Franchise Operations
      • Big Shifts in Digital Pet Care
      • Pet Insurance Advancing, Pandemic Notwithstanding
    • Internet and Retail Trends
      • Pandemic Reset: A Permanent Remix of Physical and/or Digital
      • Overview of Internet and Retail Channel Sales and Shares
      • Channel Shopping Choices
      • Generational Skews
      • Fulfillment Patterns for Digital Pet Product Shopping
      • Curbside and Inside Pickup
      • The E-Commerce Dollar Sales Leaders: Amazon vs. Chewy
      • Shopper Draw Among Pet Product Websites
      • Top Pet Product Types Purchased Online
      • Autoship Rates Double, Manufacturer Direct Gains Traction
      • Not Just Virtual Shopping Carts
    • Pet Population Trends
      • Pandemic Reset: Pet Population Churn
      • Pet Acquisition by Generational Cohort
      • Acquisition by Type of Pet
      • Overview of Pet Ownership
      • Dog and Cat Population Trends
    • Opportunities
      • Health &Wellness
      • Home
      • New Pets
      • Other Pets, Multiple Pets Households
      • Overweight and Senior Pets
      • Omnimarket
      • E-commerce
      • Subscriptions and Customization
      • Fresh Pet Food
      • Wet Pet Food
      • Private Label
      • The Feline Factor
      • The Vet Card
      • Veterinarians: Digital and Curbside
      • Sustainability
      • Same-Day Delivery
      • Keeping Pet Care Affordable for Lower-Income Households
      • CBD
  • Market Size and Growth
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Market Size & Growth
      • Pet Industry Reset: Above Average Growth in Three of Four Sectors
        • Table U.S. Pet Market Retail Sales by Sector, 2015-2020 (in billions of dollars)
        • Table U.S. Pet Market Retail Sales Annual Change by Sector, 2015-2020 (percent change over previous year)
        • Table Sector Share of U.S. Pet Market Retail Sales: 2019, 2020, and 2025P (percent)
        • Table Sector Share of U.S. Pet Market Retail Sales by Animal Type: Dog, Cat, Other, 2020 (percent)
      • Pet Product and Servicing Spending Per Pet-Owning Household
        • Table Dollar Sales Per Pet-Owning Household by Sector, 2015-2020 (millions of dollars and dollars)
        • Table Dollar Sales Per Dog-Owning Household by Sector, 2015-2020 (millions of dollars and dollars)
        • Table Dollar Sales Per Cat-Owning Household by Sector, 2015-2020 (millions of dollars and dollars)
        • Table Dollar Sales per Individual Dog and Cat by Sector, 2020 (millions of dollars and dollars)
      • Retail Channel: Pandemic Accelerates E-commerce
        • Table Share of U.S. Retail Channel Sales of Pet Products by Channel Classification: Pet Food & Treats, Non-Food Pet Supplies, Total, 2020 (percent)
      • Looking Ahead: Growth Market-wide Through 2025
        • Table Projected Growth by Pet Market Sector and Channel, 2021-2022 (millions of dollars)
        • Table Projected 2020-2025 U.S. Retail Sales of Products and Services (in billions of dollars)
        • Table Projected 2021-2025 U.S. Retail Sales of Products and Services: By Sector (in billions of dollars)
        • Table Projected 2020-2025 Annual Change in U.S. Retail Sales of Products and Services: By Sector (percent change over previous year)
        • Table U.S. Pet Market Compound Annual Growth Rates by Sector: 2015-2020 vs. 2020-2025 (percent)
    • Market Drivers
      • COVID Economy Impact on Pet Owner Spending Mindset
        • Table $70K+ Household Share of Pet Market Expenditures: By Classification, 2012-2019 (percent)
        • Table Level of Agreement with Statement: "I consider my dogs/cats/other pets to be part of the family," February 2021 (percent of pet owners)
        • Table Level of Agreement with Statement: "My pets are important to my physical/mental health," February 2021 (percent of dog, cat, and other pet owners)
      • Pandemic Intensifies Focus on Health and Wellness
      • Pandemic Fuels Pet Population Boom
        • Table Overview of Pet Ownership by Type, 2019 vs. 2020 (percent and millions of households)
        • Table Top Sources of Acquisition/Adoption of New Pets, February 2021 (percent of pet owners who have acquired new pet in last 12 months)
      • Dog and Cat Ownership Down Among Lower-Income Households
      • Catering to Deal-Seekers
      • Pandemic Accelerates Digital Pet Care
      • Pet Rescue Efforts Ramp Up During Pandemic
      • Sustainability Initiatives Increasingly Part of the Plan
      • Animal Welfare
      • Investment and M&A
  • Overall Industry Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Industry Trends
      • Pandemic Reset: Birdseye View
    • Industry Overview
      • An "Omnimarket" Era
      • Leading Pet Product Marketers and Brands
      • Leading Veterinary and Non-Medical Pet Service Operators
      • Fast-Growing Franchises and Private Companies
      • Pet Industry Leaders Launch Venture Funds Targeting Promising Start-Ups
      • Pandemic Resilience Spurs Investment Boom
      • Recent Mergers, Acquisitions, Investments, and Restructuring
  • Focus on Pet Food & Treats
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Pet Food and Treats
      • Pandemic Reset: Pet Food Sector Superpremium Steam
      • Pet Food Industry Investment Shows Strategic Directions
      • Four Natural Pet Food Pioneers Change Hands in 4Q 2020
      • Superpremium
      • The New Pet Food "Superpremium"
      • Fresh Pet Food
      • Sustainable Dovetailing with Alternative Protein, Superpremium
      • Science-Based Diets Dovetailing Into Natural
      • Lessons in DCM/Grain-Free Debacle
      • CBD Pet Treats Gaining Ground, Illegality Notwithstanding
  • Focus on Non-Food Pet Supplies
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Non-Food Pet Supplies
      • Pandemic Reset: Health, Home, New Pets
      • Pet Supplements in COVID Overdrive
        • Table U.S. Retail Sales Pet Supplements, 2015-2020 (million dollars and percent)
        • Table U.S. Retail Sales of Pet CBD Products, 2016-2020 (in millions of dollars and percent)
      • Pet Medications Also Riding COVID-Driven Hyper Health Wave
      • Focus on Home: Pets, Products, Positioning
      • BarkBox/Northern Star Merger Klieg-lights Subscription/DTC Sales
      • "Smart" Products Get Pandemic Push
  • Focus on Veterinary Services
    • Chapter Highlights
    • The Veterinary Sector
      • Pandemic Reset: Veterinary Sector Rises to the COVID Occasion
        • Table U.S. Veterinary Sales and Sales Growth, 2015-2020 (in billions of dollars and percent change)
        • Table Overview of U.S. Veterinary Sector Sales: Overall and by Product or Service Type, 2019 vs. 2020 (in millions)
      • Veterinary Market Landscape
      • The "Retail-ization" of Vet Care
      • Telemedicine and the Digitalization of Vet Care
        • Table Selected Veterinary Services and Technology Psychographics, 2021 (percent of pet owners)
      • Success of Curbside
    • Veterinary Care Customer Patterns
      • Peak Usage Rates for Veterinary Services
        • Table Use of Veterinary Services by Dog or Cat Owner Classification, Fall 2016-Fall 2020 (percent using in last 12 months)
      • Regular Check-Up vs. Urgent/Emergency Visits to Vet
      • Local Vet Clinics Regain Step in COVID Era
      • Generation Gap Hurdles Remain
        • Table Selected Psychographics About Veterinary Care Services, 2021 (percent of pet owners)
        • Table Selected Veterinary Service Options Psychographics, 2021 (percent of pet owners)
      • Historical and Generational Patterns by Number of Veterinary Visits
        • Table Use of Veterinary Services by Number of Visits, Fall 2011 - Fall 2020 (percent share for 1, 2, or 3+ visits)
        • Table Use of Veterinary Services by Dog or Cat Owners: By Generational Cohort and Number of Visits, Fall 2020 (percent using in last 12 months)
      • Veterinary Care Spending Patterns
        • Table Share of Veterinary Care Spending in Last 12 Months by Dollar Ranges and Generational Cohort, Fall 2020 (percent)
  • Focus on Non-Medical Pet Care Services
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Non-Medical Pet Care Services Sector
      • Pandemic Reset: COVID-Related Travel Bust, DIY Pet Care Shift Dampen Spending
        • Table U.S. Sales of Non-Medical Pet Services by Type, 2019 vs. 2020 (in billions)
        • Table Use of Non-Medical Pet Care Services, 2019 vs. 2020 (percent of dog and cat owners)
        • Table Overview of Pet Acquisition in 2020
      • PetSmart and Petco (Even Further) All In On Services
      • Independents Also Big On Pet Services
      • Walmart Launches Walmart Pet Care
      • Franchise Operations
      • Best Friends Pet Care
      • Internet as Pet Care Assistant
      • Big Shifts in Digital Pet Care
      • Pet Insurance Advancing, Pandemic Notwithstanding
        • Table Percent of Dog and Cat Owners Who Have Medical Coverage/Plan for Their Pets, 2020 vs. 2021 (percent of dog and cat owners)
  • Internet and Retail Trends
    • Internet and Retail
      • Pandemic Reset: A Permanent Remix of Physical and/or Digital
      • Overview of Internet and Retail Channel Sales and Shares
        • Table U.S. Retail Channel Sales of Pet Products: Sales & Shares by Channel Classification, 2015, 2019, and 2020 (dollar sales in billions and percent share)
      • The Mass-Market vs. Specialty Channel Reset
    • Overview of Shopping Patterns
      • Note on Packaged Facts February 2021 Survey
      • 2020 Brings Remix of Pet Product Channel Shopping Choices
      • Overview of Pet Product Shopping Platform Usage
      • Frequency of Store vs. Online Shopping
        • Table Time Frame for Most Recent Purchase of Pet Products: In a Store, Online, Through Smartphone, By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of pet owners)
      • Fulfillment Patterns for Digital Pet Product Shopping
      • Same-Day Delivery
      • Curbside and Inside Pickup
        • Table Top Ways to Receive or Pick Up Pet Products Ordered by Internet or Smartphone: By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of digital pet product shoppers)
      • Store Brand Reset
      • Customer Loyalty and Rewards Programs
      • Independent Pet Stores and the Role of Local
        • Table Agreement with Selected Statements About Retailer and Manufacturer Role in Pet Welfare Causes: By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of pet owners)
    • Channel Sales and Shopping Patterns: Pet Foods vs. Pet Supplies
      • Note on Shopper Draws
      • Shopping Patterns for Pet Food
        • Table Within last 3 months, through which channels have you purchased pet food products? February 2021 (percent of pet product shoppers)
      • Shopping Patterns for Pet Supplies (Non-Food)
        • Table Within the last 3 months, through which channels have you purchased pet supply products other than pet foods or pet medications? February 2021 (percent of pet product shoppers)
      • Shopping Patterns for Pet Medications and Supplements
        • Table Within the last 3 months, through which channels have you purchased pet medications or supplements? February 2021 (percent of pet product shoppers)
    • E-Commerce and the Internet's Influence
      • The E-Commerce Dollar Sales Leaders: Amazon vs. Chewy
        • Table Sales & Shares of Selected Pet Product E-Commerce Leaders: By Channel and Website, 2019 vs. 2020 (in millions of dollars and percent)
      • Shopper Draw Among Pet Product Websites
        • Table Cross-Shopping Patterns Among Top Pet Product E-Commerce Websites, February 2021 (percent)
      • Top Pet Product Types Purchased Online
      • Autoship Rates Double, Manufacturer Direct Gains Traction
        • Table Autoship Purchasing Rates for Pet Products in Past 12 Months by Type: By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of dog or cat product shoppers)
      • Not Just Virtual Shopping Carts
        • Table Product Purchasing and Other Uses of the Internet in Past 12 Months: Selected Pet Product Types, February 2021 (percent of dog or cat pet product shoppers)
        • Table Agreement with Statement, "I look out for lower prices, special offers, and sales on pet products": By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of pet product shoppers)
      • The Wingspan of Internet Influence
        • Table Agreement with Selected Statements About Technology and Pet Care: By Generational Cohort, February 2021 (percent of pet owners)
  • Pet Population Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Pet Population and Pet Ownership
      • Pandemic Reset: Pet Acquisition in Response to COVID-19
      • First-Time Pet Owners
      • Multiple Pets, Multiple Types of Pets
      • COVID Motivators for Pet Acquisition
        • Table Patterns for Working at Office/Company and Working at Home: Adults Overall and Pet Owners, Fall 2019 vs. Fall 2020 (percent)
      • Pet Population Churn
      • Pet Acquisition by Generational Cohort
        • Table Overview of Pet Acquisition in 2020 Among Current Pet Owners: By Generational Cohort, (percent of current pet owners who've had pets 2+ years)
      • Acquisition by Type of Pet
        • Table Types of Pets Acquired in Last 12 Months, February 2021 (percent of current pet owners who've had pets 2+ years)
      • Population Gains for "Other" Pets
      • Characteristics of Pet Acquisition
      • Pet Gifting for Winter Holidays 2020
      • Pet Shelters vs. Other Sources of Pet Acquisition
        • Table Sources of Pet Acquisition in Last 12 Months, February 2021 (percent of pet owners acquiring new pets)
    • Topline Overview of Pet Ownership
      • Pet Ownership Rates
        • Table Topline Pet Ownership Rates by Type, 2016-2020 (percent of overall households)
        • Table Number of Pet-Owning Households by Type, 2016-2020 (in millions)
        • Table Number of Pet Dogs and Cats, 2016-2020 (in millions)
      • From Smaller Dogs to Medium
        • Table Size of Pet Dogs: Previously Acquired and Recently Acquired, February 2020 vs. February 2021 (percent of dog owners)
        • Table Dog Population by Size of Dogs, 2016-2020 (percent and number of overall households)
      • Age of Dog and Cat Population
        • Table Dog and Cat Population by Age Bracket of Pet, 2016-2020 (percent of overall households)
        • Table Puppy/Kitten vs. Senior Share of Pet Population: Dogs vs. Cats, 2016-2020 (percent of overall households)
      • Overweight and Special Needs Pets
        • Table Share of Dog or Cat Owners Who Report Having Overweight, Special Needs, or Handicapped Pets, February 2021 (percent of pet owners)