2025
9
America’s Pet Owners Consumer Report 2025
2025-11-06T14:03:50+00:00
REP933D7936_0367_4035_B2D5_F0FC019EDF28
3695
188376
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Report
en_GB
As pandemic-fueled growth moderates, pet sector spending is plateauing and is forecast to grow just 2.9% YoY in 2025, but high prices remain. Demand stagnation requires investment in customer retention…
US
Pets
simple

America’s Pet Owners Consumer Report 2025

"High inflation in the pet sector has abated for now, but has pushed young pet owners toward tech and DIY solutions as they balance pet wellness with subdued economic outlooks."

Hiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst

Hiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for pet owners and the pet care products and services market
    • Opportunities
    • Space for tech innovation in pet wellness due to rising costs of pet ownership and care
    • Fluid working conditions of younger pet owners will require innovations in pet care
    • The humanization of pet products and services continues, diversifying into new domains
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • “Petflation” slows for now, but a slowing labor market may affect pet spending by young consumers
    • Pet food prices ease, but remain elevated compared to 2020
    • Graph 1: YoY price index growth, monthly, 2016-25
    • Are pets ultimately a discretionary category? It depends on who you ask
    • Younger generations and new pet owners are feeling a financial pinch
    • Graph 2: recent changes in behavior, by generation and pet owning experience, 2025
    • Tariffs create uncertainty for manufacturers and importers in the pet sector
    • Retail sales and forecast of pet care products and services
    • Graph 3: total retail sales and fan forecast of pet care products and services, at current prices, 2019-30
    • Segment shares in the pet category have remained largely stable
    • Graph 4: pet care products and services – segment share, 2020-25 (est)
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Pet owner segments
    • Cater messaging and targeting with these five core pet owner segments
    • Using cluster analysis to identify pet owner segments
    • Graph 5: component alignment, by consumer segments, 2024
    • Modern pet parents: high emotional attachment and spending towards pets, with caveats
    • Healthy finances allows this segment to fulfill their aspirations for their pets
    • Fur-baby parents: high emotional attachment, pampers pets to the best of their abilities
    • Leaning older and single, pets are an outlet for their care and affection and discretionary spend
    • Values-first pet owners: extends personal values to pets care
    • Young and inexperienced, these pet owners are open to values messaging
    • Adjacent pet owners: young, pragmatic and not the primary pet owner
    • Motivated by other family members’ love of pets
    • No-nonsense pet owners: older, pragmatic and traditional
    • Older but married or partnered, they do not seek deep emotional connection from their pets
    • Pet ownership: preferences, limitations and trends
    • Dogs maintain dominance, but cat ownership jumps in 2025
    • Graph 6: pet ownership, 2020-25
    • Ease of care sees cat ownership grow in various demographics
    • Graph 7: pet ownership, by species and select demographics, 2020 and 2025
    • Pet acquisition intent rises in 2025, young pet owner segments are the most likely to consider adding another pet to their household
    • Graph 8: pet acquisition intent, next 12 months, 2023-25
    • Graph 9: pet acquisition intent, by pet owner segments, 2025
    • Modern innovations can address pet-owning concerns of young consumers
    • Position innovations as solutions to the pet pain points of younger consumers
    • Graph 10: reasons for not owning pets they “really want”, by pet owner segment and non-pet owners, 2025
    • Pet services: trends and segments
    • Veterinary care and pet grooming service usage continues to decline
    • Graph 11: pet services used in the last 12 months, 2020-25
    • As OTC and DIY in pet health gains prominence, veterinary services and brands must innovate
    • Pet care services are well positioned as pet ownership climbs among urban professionals
    • Graph 12: pet services used in the last 12 months, 2020-25
    • RTO policies are increasing pet spend in young, urban pet owners – offer affordable pet care solutions
    • Graph 13: recent changes in behavior, by pet owner segment and non-pet owners, 2025
    • Stay current with robotics and AI advances to identify opportunities in automated pet care products
    • Align pet insurance with the needs of high-frequency users, older pet owner segments
    • Graph 14: pet owners whose pets experienced a health issue, use of veterinary services, by pet owner segments, 2025
    • Graph 15: pet owners whose pets experienced a health issue, use of pet health insurance, by pet owner segments, 2025
    • Older pet owner segments stand to gain the most from pet insurance
    • Shift messaging from convenience to pet happiness to appeal younger pet owner segments
    • Graph 16: pet services used in the last 12 months, by pet owner segments, 2025
    • App and net-enabled pet devices are gaining traction in younger pet owner segments
    • Graph 17: uses net-enabled pet devices, pet owners by segment and demographics, 2020-25
    • High-end tech pet devices are expanding consumers’ imaginations
    • Pet products: search occasions and discovery methods
    • Beyond life-stage related issues, human rituals and social media fuel the imagination of pet owners
    • Graph 18: pet product search triggers, 2025
    • Humanization of pet activities is more prominent in younger pet owner segments
    • Graph 19: pet product search triggers – special occasion and travel, by select segments and demographics, 2025
    • Prioritize search and brand sites for product research, but tailor tactics for different segments
    • Graph 20: research methods (any rank 1-3), 2025
    • Cater channel strategy to the experience level of your target audience
    • Graph 21: research methods (any rank 1-3), by pet ownership experience, 2025
    • Social media use is correlated with emotional investment with pets
    • Graph 22: social media sites used daily, by pet owner segments, 2025
    • Young pet owner segments are moving away from traditional search engines
    • Search is quickly evolving – social search and Gen AI are gaining ground in some domains
    • Graph 23: research methods (any rank 1-3), by pet owner segments, 2025
    • Adapt to Gen AI and its growing prominence as a first opinion
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES

    • Greater pet acceptance in public spaces spells opportunities for both venues and pet product brands
    • Normalize traveling with pets by simplifying the process
    • Trends in human products translate directly to attributes Values-first pet owners
    • Show your work: dive into intricacies to create narratives for premium humanization
    • The scope of robotic pet care may be expanding, but emotional care cannot be compromised
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast fan chart methodology
    • Retail sales and forecast of pet care products and services
    • Retail sales of pet care products and services, by segment
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research questions, continued
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Cluster analysis
    • Generations
    • Abbreviations and terms

US Pet Market – Consumer Trends and Insights

  • Spending in the US pet sector is plateauing, with a forecasted growth of just 2.9% YoY in 2025, as pandemic-driven growth moderates. High prices and demand stagnation highlight the need for investment in customer retention through proper segmentation and value-enhancing innovations.
  • The “humanization” trend in pet products and services continues to expand, offering viable options across all price tiers to cater to diverse consumer needs.
  • Pet ownership is growing, with a notable surge in cat ownership since 2020, driven by young, urban consumers who value cats as flexible companions suited to small-space living.
  • Economic pressures may further shift pet ownership trends toward lower-cost, lower-maintenance options, making affordability a key consideration for brands.
  • Technology-enabled solutions, such as OTC health monitoring, on-demand pet care, and tools for improved remote interactions, are addressing the needs of modern young pet owners with limited time and space. High-end tech and services, amplified by social media, are raising consumer expectations across the board.

Key Topics Analyzed in the Report

  • Market size and growth forecast of pet care products and services
  • Economic issues related to pet ownership and the pet market
  • Segmentation of pet owners based on their attitudes towards their pets
  • Pet ownership trends and pain points
  • Evolutions in pet services used, such as veterinary and pet care services
  • Product and service search triggers and methods of research
  • Marketing and innovation examples and analysis
Report AttributesDetails
Published DateNovember 2025
Report AuthorHiro Takemasa, Senior Consumer Lifestyles Analyst
Market Data Range2019-2030
Consumer Data2,000 internet users aged 18+, June 2025
Pet Category Market SegmentationVeterinary/pet care services, Pet food, Pet supplies

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