In United States, pet product marketers and retailers must re-evaluate their key strategic options to respond to the current marketplace: competing on price, incorporating premium and natural products into the product mix, improving merchandising, staging events and promotions, playing up pet treats, and becoming destination information sources (including online).

That’s because pet owners are shopping around. According to Packaged Facts’ September 2011 Pet Owner Survey, nearly half (47%) of pet product buyers agree that they shop for pet products at a variety of stores. Experian Simmons data show that the percentage of dog or cat owners who are channel-loyal fell to 41% in 2011, down from 53% in 2006.

Over the long term, three trends have greatly intensified competition: the expansion of the two big-box pet specialty chains; the growth of mass merchandisers and supercenters; and the rise of the Internet. Shorter term, since 2008, the Great Recession and its New Normal aftermath of economic sluggishness have pressured pet product retailers of all kinds. Budget-conscious consumers demand more value in the products they buy, chart out grocery shopping trips beforehand, and are willing to switch channels and brands to make ends meet or satisfy shifting priorities. There is still a strong upscale element to the pet market, of course. But in the wake of the “premiumization” wave of the early 2000s, many pet owners have already traded up-and, with the recession that followed, some have scaled back.

The pet product market’s above-average prospects nonetheless continue to attract new players, expanding the range of retailers vying for a slice of the pie. The new players include private label, further complicating strategies and options for traditional marketers. Packaged Facts survey data show high levels of affection for store brands among pet product buyers, nearly half of whom agree that they are buying more store-brand food and beverage products these days, and that “store-brand pet products are often as good as national brand name products” (45%).

U.S. Pet Product market

Published:  February 2012
No.OF Pages: 264
Price: Single User License US$ 3500      Corporate User License US$ 7000

 Major points covered in Table of Contents of this report include:

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Chapter 2: Introduction

Chapter 3: Channel Usage

Chapter 4: Channel Loyalty

Chapter 5: Mass-Market Focus

Chapter 6: Pet Specialty Focus

Chapter 7: Internet Focus

Chapter 8: Veterinary Channel Focus

Chapter 9: Natural Supermarket Focus

Chapter 10: Dollar Store Focus

Chapter 11: Other Channels