At the 2020 Pet Food Forum in Kansas City, Missouri, the "Packaged Facts" (Packaged Facts) announced the latest survey of consumers' changing pet food patterns. This article briefly introduces some major findings.
"Packaging Facts" survey of pet owners from February to March 2020 shows that about a quarter of pet owners have changed their pet food in the past 12 months, of which 28% are dog owners and 24 are cat owners. %. The main reason for the replacement of pet food coincides with the general trend of pet food development: chooses with better quality and healthier foods, pet favorites, and products suitable for the specific characteristics of each pet. has different options for dog and cat owners as follows:
table 1
cat and dog owners have different motivations (see Table 1). It is generally believed that cats are more picky. Dog owners often replace pet foods because of quality, while cat owners pay more attention to finding foods that cats love to eat.
Switching to better-quality food is the driving factor for 49% of dog owners to replace pet food, and is considered the single most important motive, compared with only 29% of cat owners.
Switching to foods that pets prefer is the main driving factor for 46% of cat owners to change pet food, ranking first in motivation, compared with just under 41% of dog owners.
Similarly, when pets no longer like or are tired of eating pet food they have been using, 40% are cat owners and 30% are dog owners.
What are the factors that influence the decision to change pet food?
Various people or sources of information influence pet owners to change pet food. Veterinarians are the most important influencer, although the proportion of dog owners is relatively moderate at 38%, and cat owners only 31%, which is consistent with the use of veterinary care for cats lower than that of dogs. In addition, the word-of-mouth of friends and family members ranked second (27%) for dog owners, but this factor is much less important among cat owners, who are affected by the information on pet food brand websites. Second (23%).
In terms of pet food formulation types or market positioning, the market continues to tilt towards special formulations and differentiated functional products. Among cat and dog owners, only 42% said they use conventional formula pet food. In the past 12 months, only 33% of dog owners and 26% of cat owners have switched to regular formula foods among those who changed pet food.
A large number of "Packaging Facts" consumer surveys confirmed that for consumers, the most important pet food claim is "Made in the United States." "Made in the United States" pet food attracts more customers than conventional formula foods, accounting for 49% and 39% of dog owners and cat owners, respectively. In addition, the proportion of pet food made in the United States is significantly higher than that of grain-free food. In the dog food market where grain-free food sales are more prominent, 22% of people who change pet food choose grain-free formulas, compared with 36% who choose US-made foods.
Consumer survey data from February to March 2020 in "Packaging Facts" also shows that one-fifth (21%) of dog owners are very knowledgeable about grain-free formula foods. From the perspective of pet food processing, to a certain extent, because grain-free coarse grinding and canned pet food are more likely to fit the general trend of food culture, the preference for foods that do not contain artificial ingredients, are less processed, and can retain natural nutrients is increasing. The preference of larger consumers is not only reflected in the increasing use of alternative pet food, but also in pet owners adding food-grade food to their commercial pet food and mixed foods. The content of
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