The US pet supplies market in 2024 is experiencing steady growth despite economic pressures, driven by consumers’ increasing focus on pet health and wellness. Pet owners are prioritizing high-value purchases, with a notable interest in premium, human-grade products and innovative solutions.
US Pet Supplies Market – Current landscape
While growth has subsided following a pandemic boom, the pet supplies sector has held its own. Although consumers do increasingly view pets as not only members of their families but mirrors of themselves, a significant 45% agree that higher prices have forced them to cut back on pet supply purchases.
However, as prices have stabilized and the economy remains fairly robust, it’s likely that pet supplies will achieve more substantial growth. A variety of factors will drive these sales, including ongoing interest in adopting pets; a greater focus on pet health that should encourage purchases of premium products; increasing “personification” of pets that could lead to more sales of discretionary and higher-priced branded products; and continued innovation leading to both advanced products and new categories of products.
US Pet Supplies Market Report – What’s Inside?
Key Topics Analysed in this Report
- Market size, forecast and segmented performance of pet supplies.
- Market and brand share within pet supplies.
- Competitive strategies and opportunities for pet supplies.
- Pet supply usage and frequency of use.
- Pet supply shopping frequency and location.
- Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward shopping for pet supplies.
- Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward pet health and wellness.
- Shifting priorities when it comes to pet health.
- Consumer attitudes and behaviors toward pet supplies.
Report Scope
For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Supplies for household pets including cats, dogs, small animals (hamsters, etc), reptiles, fish, and birds; horse care items are not included.
Supplies include, but are not limited to, litter/deodorant, rawhide dog chews, dog/cat supplies (ie grooming, collars, leashes, toys, bedding, feeding equipment, and over-the-counter flea and tick treatments), and non-dog/cat supplies (ie indoor aquariums and aquarium accessories, bird feeders).
Excluded from this Report are services for pets, such as boarding, grooming, training, and veterinary services; pet food; and prescription medicines. Pet supplies sold through non-retail channels, such as groomers and veterinary offices, are not included in the market size estimates.
Meet the Expert Behind the Analysis
This report was written by Rebecca Watters/ Rebecca joined Mintel in 2015, bringing experience from the non-profit health sector. As Associate Director, she focuses on household, health, and wellness industries, offering strategic insights on consumer trends, market trends and product development. She collaborates with clients to identify key trends and plan for future market needs.
Brands continue to expand offerings to cater to pet owners’ pets specific wellness needs and concerns, aiming to secure a spot in pet care and pampering routines.
Rebecca Watters, Associate Director
Household & Health
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Executive Summary
- What you need to know
- Market size & forecast
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
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Market Dynamics
- Market context
- Pet ownership remains stable post-COVID
- Graph 1: pet ownership, 2020-2024
- Understanding pet owners
- Multiple pet ownership on the decline
- Graph 2: number of cats owned, 2020 and 2024
- Graph 3: number of dogs owned, 2020 and 2024
- Market drivers
- Employment holds steady
- Graph 4: unemployment rate, 2019-2024
- Inflation moderates
- Graph 5: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-2024
- Pet ownership should continue to rise
- Housing affordability may impact pet ownership
- Graph 6: homeownership rate, 2011-2022
- Return to office creates an opportunity
- Market size and forecast
- Retail sales and forecast of pet supplies
- $35.6B in sales expected for 2024
- After adjusting for inflation, 27% growth expected in the next five years
- Brand share
- Many brands compete in a diverse market
- Sales of pet supplies, by company
- Private label litter on a roll
- Sales of litter & deodorant, by company
- Natural products a focus for dog chews
- Sales of rawhide dog chews, by company
- Bark struggles amid flat sector sales
- Sales of other pet supplies, by company
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Consumer Insights
- Consumer fast facts
- Health and grooming supply purchases
- Pet parents are focusing on their pets’ holistic health
- Wellness a new focus for pet parents
- Graph 7: health and grooming products purchased, 2022-24
- Asians major spenders on pet appearance, wellness
- Graph 8: health and grooming products purchased, by race/Hispanic origin, 2024
- VMS a way to connect to Younger Millennials
- Elevate pet packaging aesthetics
- Other supply purchases
- Pets are increasingly “en vogue”
- Pets are increasingly in fashion
- Graph 9: other pet supplies purchased, 2020 and 2024
- Cat owners also play dress-up?
- Graph 10: other pet supplies purchased, by type of pet owned, 2024
- Women without kids want pets to have fun
- Graph 11: other pet supplies purchased, by gender/parental status, 2024
- Pet tech appeals to specific groups – especially women
- Pet supply shopping frequency and purchase location
- More than half purchase several times per month
- Graph 12: pet supply purchase frequency, 2024
- Dads buy pet supplies most often
- Graph 13: pet supply purchase frequency, by age/parental status, 2024
- Mass merchandisers edge out pet specialty?
- Convenience underpins purchase location
- Health: a key opportunity for specialized retailers
- Shopping attitudes and behaviors
- Cost does matter – at least for low-income consumers
- Graph 14: pet supply purchase behaviors related to cost, by household income, 2024
- When financial times are tight, fur children come second
- When times are tight, fur children come second
- Graph 15: pet supply purchase behaviors related to cost, by gender and parental status, 2024
- Dog owners more interested in economizing
- Graph 16: pet supply purchase behaviors related to cost, by pet ownership, 2024
- Younger men most attuned to brand and product research
- Graph 17: pet supply purchase behaviors, by gender and age, 2024
- White consumers prefer tried and true, Asian/Hispanic something new
- Graph 18: pet supply purchase behaviors, by race/Hispanic origin, 2024
- Pet health and wellness behaviors
- Younger consumers less attuned to health concerns
- Only 37% of young men take pets to the vet on schedule
- Graph 19: pet health and wellness behaviors, by gender and age, 2024
- Cost may be discouraging vet visits
- Graph 20: pet health and wellness behaviors, by household income, 2024
- Cat owners lag in vet visits
- Graph 21: pet health and wellness behaviors, by pet ownership, 2024
- Market telehealth as a way to increase accessibility?
- Changing pet health priorities
- Pet owners weigh a range of health-related concerns
- Prevention is a priority for pet health
- Prevention is priority
- Graph 22: change in pet health priorities, 2024
- Parents focus on pet health
- Graph 23: change in pet health priorities, by parental status, 2024
- Cat owners could benefit from more focus on health
- Graph 24: change in pet health priorities, by pet ownership, 2024
- Attitudes and behaviors
- Younger people more interested in education, sustainability
- Graph 25: pet attitudes and behaviors, by gender and age, 2024
- More affluent consumers more interested in learning
- Graph 26: pet attitudes and behaviors, by age and income, 2024
- Dads most engaged
- Graph 27: pet attitudes and behaviors, by gender and parental status, 2024
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Innovation and Marketing Trends
- Launch activity and innovation
- Pets become mini-me’s
- K-Beauty for canines?
- Appearances count: Dog grooming grows
- Using innovation to scratch out a spot in the litter space
- Marketing and advertising
- Playology makes toys more than just fun
- Target has pet owners in its crosshairs
- Petco, Petsmart reward loyalty
- Ring goes viral for charity
- Opportunities
- AI and interactive pet products poised to take off?
- Health care a key strategy for retailers
- New frontiers in grooming and skin health
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Appendix
- Market definition
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- Forecast methodology
- Forecast fan chart methodology
- Sales of pet vitamins, by company
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