Pet Treats and Chews in the US Report, 6th Edition

Report Overview

After years of pandemic-driven growth, the pet treats and chews market now faces a challenging economy, with future growth hinging on functional, value-positioned, and cat-specific treats.

Key themes covered in this report:

• Focus on affordability in pet food and treats
• Sales growth moderates in the current economy
• Pet health and wellness as a priority for pet owners
• Opportunities in the pet treats market

The pet treats market faces several major challenges in the coming year. Burdened by persistently high prices in all consumer categories, pet owners are beginning to scale back on “nice to have” products and focus their spending on necessities, leading this nearly $13 billion market to achieve a 3% growth rate in 2024 after several years of high-single- and double-digit increases. These challenges also present an opportunity for treats marketers to show how their products aren’t just an afterthought, but form an important part of pet owners’ relationships with their pets. Treats that offer functional benefits, incorporate sustainable ingredients, and are made in the USA have a distinct advantage in the current market. Cat-focused products are in high demand as well, as cat ownership grows more appealing and cat owners demand the same attention that dogs get for their fur babies from both pet marketers and retailers. Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 6th Edition provides detailed analysis of the many product types in high demand, and examines how marketers are responding to the issues of the day including value propositions, e-commerce, product safety, and transparency.

Building on analyses presented in previous editions of this report, this fully updated sixth edition breaks out historical and projected retail sales from 2019 through 2029 across four categories of treats and chews segmented by dogs and cats: indulgent treats, rawhide/long-lasting chews, functional treats/chews, and dental treats/chews. The report also explores competitive strategies of key players, trends in marketing and new product development, and retail dynamics including the e-commerce boom and omnichannel marketing. Featuring exclusive data from Packaged Facts’ Surveys of Pet Owners, the report examines purchasing trends by product type and brand, as well as attitudes and demographic characteristics of pet treats and chews purchasers. The report also features multi-year MRI-Simmons data profiling pet treat purchaser demographics and product preferences.

Pet Treats & Chews Report Scope

This report examines the $12.8 billion US market for pet treats and edible chews for dogs and cats. Data, forecasts, and insights encompassing product, format, nutrition, ingredient, and functional trends for indulgent treats, rawhide and other edible chews, functional treats, and dental treats and chews are provided. Throughout the report, the overall market is referred to as “treats” or “treats and chews”.

Products specifically excluded from the scope of this report are:

• pet foods marketed as complete and balanced diets, which are covered in Packaged Facts’ Pet Food in the US, 18th Edition (October 2024)
• products marketed primarily as nutritional supplements, covered in Packaged Facts’ Pet Supplements in the US, 10th Edition (September 2024)
• rope chews and rubber chew toys, covered in Packaged Facts’ Durable Dog and Cat Pet Care Products in the US, 5th Edition (March 2024)
• sales through the veterinary channel (veterinary channel products are mentioned in context)

The report takes a deep dive into key trends in marketing and new products, retail channel trends, and consumer trends. Consumer data comes from Packaged Facts’ proprietary Surveys of Pet Owners and includes purchase rates by product type and by channel, demographic data, and psychographics exploring purchase attitudes and motivations. Historical data are provided for 2019 through 2024, with projections for 2025 through 2029

Pet Treats and Chews in the US Report Methodology

The information contained in this report was obtained from primary and secondary research. Primary research includes national online consumer polls of US adult pet owners (aged 18 and older), conducted on an ongoing basis by Packaged Facts, to measure purchasing patterns and attitudes regarding pet products and services. With sample sizes of approximately 2,000 pet owners, these surveys are based on national online research panels that are census representative on the primary demographic measures of age, gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, and household income. The Packaged Facts’ Surveys of Pet Owners cited in this report were primarily conducted in January and July/August 2024.

Our primary research also includes interviews with pet market experts; participation in pet industry events, including Global Pet Expo (American Pet Products Association) and Petcare Innovation Summit; on-site examination of service provider venues; and internet canvassing.

Secondary research includes information- and data-gathering from consumer business and trade publications, including Pet Age, Pet Business, Pet Care Weekly, and The Fountain Report; company profiles in trade and consumer publications; annual reports of companies in the pet market; and information culled from Packaged Facts’ extensive pet market research database and report collection.

Our estimates of market size and company performance are based on reported revenues of pet services providers, government data (including US Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Surveys), and figures from other market research sources.

Report Coverage for Pet Treats & Chews in the US

Key Participants Driving Trends in the US Pet Treats & Chews Market

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