Pet Care
Category Trends
A look at the trends influencing pet care packaging design and innovation.
Introduction
With global birth rates declining and pet ownership increasing, people are treating their pets as “fur babies” and prioritizing their care. This is leading to demand for premium pet products, a focus on pet health and wellness, interest in convenience and connectivity, and retail channel expansion.
This report explores these trends impacting the pet care category.
Premium Positioning
Consumers increasingly consider pets as members of the family and want the best for them. The pet humanization trend is driving the popularity of premium pet care products, even amidst economic pressures. However, high prices can limit access to premium brands. As a result, mid-priced and private label brands are adopting premium positioning strategies to enhance their appeal to discerning but price-conscious pet parents. This includes incorporating health claims, functional benefits, improved formulations, clean ingredients, and elevated packaging solutions.
“Premiumization is no longer limited to the premium price band as value-centric offerings enhance their premium appeal.” (Euromonitor)
Minimalist brand design supports a premium positioning. Consumers often associate minimal package design with products using higher quality or fewer ingredients. A recent Journal of Marketing study of 1,300 packages in the largest supermarket chain in the U.S. found that “the simplicity of the package design is positively associated with price.” Custom packaging can also feel more premium while differentiating from the competition. Studio One Eleven creates unique and impactful custom design solutions that help pet care brands win with consumers.
Holistic Health
Just as people are taking a more holistic approach to their own health – focusing on physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing – they are also concerned with their pets’ total wellness. This is demonstrated by the rise in health claims on pet food, the growth of the pet dietary supplement category, and increased demand for products that target specific need states and functional benefits. Euromonitor notes, “With consumers increasingly adopting a preventative approach towards pet health, the market for health-positioned pet offerings is expected to see increasing innovation and competition.”
The U.S. pet dietary supplements category grew at a CAGR of 33% 2019-2024 (Euromonitor)
When it comes to packaging, prominent claims and functional ingredient callouts quickly communicate a product’s health benefits. Intelligence of Nature’s supplement package immediately communicates its gut support benefit with a bold claim front and center of pack. Featuring seals and certifications can also add credibility and build trust.
Tech Takeover
GlobalData has identified technology in pet care as one of the most significant trends shaping the industry, with pet owners valuing high-tech products more than other consumers. There is growing demand for convenience and connectivity in pet solutions, including telemedicine, smartphone applications, AI technology, and personalized products.
61% of pet owners consider high-tech/smartphone connectivity features to be essential or nice to have when choosing pet care products (GlobalData)
Smart labels utilizing QR codes and near-field communication (NFC) technology allow consumers to connect with brands in more robust and engaging ways. A quick phone scan can redirect shoppers to a brand’s website to view product tutorials, browse products, read reviews, discover ingredient information, learn about a company’s social or environmental initiatives, and more. These packaging solutions help consumers save time and money, select the right products for their needs, reassure them of product quality and safety, and create unique user experiences.
Multi-Channel
According to Euromonitor, North America pet care e-commerce sales grew at a CAGR of 25% 2019-2024. Consumers are increasingly turning to online platforms, including direct-to-consumer, subscription models, social commerce, and quick commerce. However, the offline channel still accounts for a significant amount of retail sales. This means it’s important for pet care brands to have a multi-channel strategy to drive awareness and remain competitive.
“From offline pet shops and superstores to online pet specialist retailers, consumers today are accessing pet products across multiple channels.” (Euromonitor)
E-commerce products may be handled up to four times more than packaging sold through traditional retail so they need to withstand rigorous conditions and rough treatment. And several online retailers have e-commerce packaging guidelines, including Amazon. Berlin Packaging is APASS-certified, with extensive knowledge of Amazon’s packaging requirements. We help our customers with design, development, sourcing support, quality control, and more to ensure their packaging performs properly, whether sent via e-commerce or pallet.
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The brands mentioned in this report are trademarks of their respective owners. Inclusion of these brands in this report is not meant to imply an association with or endorsement from the respective trademark owners.