Value is the Focus in the Durable Pet Products Market

Marketers and retailers of durable pet care products are no stranger to the challenges this market has faced in the past few years. Between the inflationary conditions that are putting a damper on consumer spending on non-essentials and the dog population decline that has disproportionately impacted this market, the boom years of the pandemic are long in the rear-view mirror, and durables market participants are looking for ways to boost sales. Focusing on value is one-way marketers and retailers can encourage purchases, showing the many pet owners who are tightening the purse strings that the products are providing them with bang for the buck.

Affordable products that allow households that are economically challenged to participate more fully in the durables market will be advantageous to marketers, allowing them to appeal to a wider range of pet owners including the less affluent ones often left behind by higher priced fare. Value rather the price should remain the focus, however, as pet owners aren’t likely to abandon product quality simply for the sake for low prices. Packaged Facts March 2024 Survey of Pet Owners shows that although 60% of pet owners chose value/cost as an important factor when deciding what durable pet products to purchase, 56% selected durability of the product and 50% chose safety and the quality of the materials. High-quality, value-positioned products, such as private label products that offer similar products at a lower price point, are one of the keys to success in this market right now.

Packaged Facts’ latest report, Durable Dog and Cat Pet Care Products in the US, 5th Edition, explores this and other opportunities in this challenging market, and providing insights into ways marketers and retailers can appeal to pet owners despite the obstacles.

This new report focuses on product innovation and consumer preferences and breaks out the market into seven categories:

• Toys

• Collars, leashes, and harnesses

• Carriers, crates, and housing

• Beds

• Bowls, feeders, waterers

• Apparel/fashion accessories

• Litter boxes and accessories