by Daniel Granderson
October 22, 2019
Crickets, fungus, and wood pulp are only some of the unique ingredients on offer as pet treats marketers look to stand out on store shelves and online. In addition to unusual or exotic proteins, treat marketers are relying on functional ingredients to capture pet owners’ attention, making it possible for them to address pet health and wellness issues while enjoying “treat time.”
One of the most buzz-worthy functional ingredients, CBD, is already making waves in the pet supplements market and is positioned to make an equally impressive impact in pet treats and chews as pet owners seek out natural alternatives for anxiety and pain management. Aligning with pet health and wellness is an intensive emphasis on product safety, which is top of mind among pet owners and marketers alarmed by the spate of recalls involving pig ear chews from South America. Because of the seemingly continual cycle of recalls, addressing issues of transparency has become essential in the market. Pet owners are demanding an ever-increasing level of detail about what exactly is in the treat products they feed their pets, and marketers are touting safe, reliable sourcing—even to the point of putting the specific location of the ingredient source on product packaging.
Packaged Facts’ new report, Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 3rd Edition, discusses all these trends and more, providing an in-depth look at the sales drivers in this $6.7 billion market, including humanization, natural, grain-free, limited ingredient, made and/or sourced in the USA, functional ingredient (CBD!), and exotic proteins. Building on analysis presented in the previous two editions of this report, this fully updated third edition of Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S. covers historical and projected retail sales estimates from 2014 through 2023, competitive strategies of key players, and trends in new product development. The report also examines retail trends including the impact of the e-commerce boom and the pet specialty vs. mass retail divide, as well as the impact of recent recalls on the market. Featuring exclusive multi-year data from Packaged Facts’ Survey of Pet Owners, the report examines pet treats and chews purchasing trends, as well as attitudes and demographic characteristics of pet treats and chews purchasers. The report also features Simmons data that profiles pet treat purchaser attitudes and product preferences.
-- by Shannon Brown and David Lummis, pet market analysts
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