The Future of Pet Food is a global market report that covers the latest innovations and consumer trends across the global pet food market in 2024. Our global future of report identifies evolving areas, consumer attitudes, and important advances expected across regions like EMEA, APAC, and the Americas over the next five years and beyond.
Global Pet Food Market Landscape
The cost of living crisis has impacted consumers’ budgets, leading to increased instances of trading down across the global pet food industry. Consumers are more likely to believe that the changes to their pet food spending are permanent rather than temporary, potentially marking a longer-term shift in purchasing habits.
Additionally, wellness is taking centre-stage as a global pet food market trend as consumers readily put their pets’ happiness and wellbeing ahead of their own.
- 69% of US pet food buyers are interested in treats or toppers with functional benefits.
Global Pet Food Industry in the Next Two Years
The introduction of alternative proteins – such as insects – can help address food sustainability issues, however, young pet owners are likely to deprioritise sustainability due to money concerns.
Pet food innovation will be inspired by baby food packaging design, format and materials, particularly for products for puppies and kittens.
- 49% of Canadian pet owners feel more like a pet parent than a pet owner, rising to 55% of those aged 18-24.
Pet Food Innovation in Five Years and Beyond
The global pet food industry will benefit from a retail revolution. In-store retail is set to evolve through solo branded pet food stores and specialist pet food service centres in supermarkets.
There will be continued pet food innovation surrounding sustainability, with brands seeking more climate-friendly alternatives to rice, corn and wheat such as amaranth, fonio and quinoa to appeal to pet owners.
- 37% of Thai pet owners are trying to give their pet a diet that is better for the environment.
To discover more about the global pet food market, read A Year of Innovation in Pet Food and Products Report, or take a look at our extensive Global Pet Food Market Research.
Expert Analysis from a Food Specialist
This report, written by Kate Vlietstra, a leading Food analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight global pet food industry trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Financial concerns inevitably impact pet owners, yet there is still headroom for premiumisation. Gut health and retail aspirations evolve in line with human trends.
Kate Vlietstra
Director – Food & Drink
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What you need to know
- Where we are now
- In the next two years
- In five years and beyond
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In the next two years
- Mintel’s perspective
- Baby food inspires meals for fur babies
- Puppy and kitten owners make the ‘pawfect’ target market
- Take design cues from baby food packaging
- Take design cues from baby food packaging
- Look for alternatives to plastic pouches
- Glass jars present an appealing solution
- Bond with your fur baby over shared mealtimes
- Justify sustainable options
- Alternative proteins have been all the rage
- Younger pet owners are deprioritising sustainability due to money concerns
- Graph 1: agreement that money concerns have made the sustainability of the food people feed their pet(s) less important to them, per age group, 2023
- Private labels should venture into sustainable options
- Hit the taste and health mark through blends of traditional and emerging proteins
- Blends of traditional and emerging proteins offer an opportunity to cut costs and enhance taste and health perceptions
- Dial up cost, taste and health credentials of new alternative proteins
- What’s next in digestive health?
- Gut health extends far and wide
- Graph 2: perceived benefits of gut health, by benefit, 2022
- The increasing demand for digestive health benefits
- Graph 3: pet food launches featuring a prebiotic or probiotic, by year, 2019-23
- Consumer interest in postbiotics is increasing
- Graph 4: search interest of ‘postbiotic’, 2019-23
- Vary the format for postbiotic launches
- Holistic health beyond digestion
- Postbiotic launches in China educate consumers
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In five years and beyond
- Mintel’s perspective
- The pet food retail revolution
- Differentiate DTC brands through recipe boxes
- Shift towards stores of the future
- Unleash climate-friendly grains
- Climate change is threatening grain production
- Go beyond the regular grains
- Weatherproofed pet food provisions
- Help pets endure extreme weather
- Weatherproofed pet food provisions
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Key takeaways
- Key takeaways
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