New Success with Store Brand Pet Products

In these economically wavering times, store brand/private label products have grown significantly in importance within the pet market. Packaged Facts’ July-August 2024 Survey of Pet Owners shows that 22% of pet product shoppers had switched to store brand pet products due to high prices/inflation.

Growth in Store Brand Pet Food

MRI-Simmons spring 2024 data show that store brand pet food usage rates, at 8%-11% for dry dog or cat food, still don’t match those in human market categories such as packaged bread (37%) or canned meat/chicken (30%). But as price inflation has impacted consumers across pet categories, store brands have been especially successful at leveraging their status as quality but more affordable options.

The 2024 annual report by the Private Label Manufacturers Association (PLMA) shows that store brand pet foods jumped 26% in dollar growth (with price inflation factoring in) in 2023, to reach a 9% dollar share. In contrast, dollar sales for store brands overall rose 4.7% in sales in 2023, compared to 3.4% for national brands. Subsequent PLMA data show that store brand unit sales for the 52 weeks ending August 19, 2024 were up 11.1% for dog treats and chews, 10.1% for cat food, and 4.8% for dog food.

Store Brand Products Well-Regarded by Consumers

Across the major center store pet categories – pet food/treats and cat litter – store brand usage rates vary more by dog vs. cat owners, and vary more by product category, than by pet owner generations. In fact, store brand products are well-regarded across the population, with 82% of adults agreeing (completely or somewhat) that store brand/private label products are as effective as their brand name products. Rather than simply being bargain-priced, successful store brands combine quality, value pricing, and a level of trendiness and innovation.

Store brands are especially strong in the pet specialty retail channel, where private labels are often featured as exclusive or boutique brands, rather than as old school me-too store brands. Also weighing in with private label are Amazon and Chewy as e-tailers, mass-market grocery leaders such as Walmart, Target, and the top wholesale clubs and supermarket chains. In addition, the historically sturdy sales performance of wholesale clubs as pet product retailers is based on pet food offerings within the private label megabrands Kirkland Signature (Costco) and Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club).

Where to Learn More

For more information, see the newly published report from Packaged Facts titled Pet Product Retail and Shopping Trends, 5^th Edition. Subscribe to our blog using the blue button on the bottom right to easily access more articles like this in the future.

About the blogger: David Sprinkle is a senior pet analyst at Packaged Facts and is a regular contributor to pet industry journals.