Consumer concern over pet food safety, stemming from the spring 2007 pet food recalls, combined with an already-high consumer interest in natural and organic products, will propel the market for natural pet products from $1.3 billion in 2007 to $2.5 billion in 2012, according to a new report from Packaged Facts.
The “Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the US” report finds that tracked sales of natural pet food through supermarkets, drugstores, and mass merchandisers surged in 2006, rising more than 200% to reach $29 million.
However, sales simply exploded during the first two quarters of 2007, nearly tripling to $82 million, according to the data.
Packaged Facts forecasts that full-year 2007 tracked sales of natural pet food will reach approximately $180 million – more than a 500% increase over 2006 sales.
The surge in natural sales isn’t limited to pet food alone: Accounting for approximately one-fifth of 2007 sales, natural pet-care products registered a 19% CAGR from 2003 to 2007, according to the report.
Natural pet-care products are forecast to grow at a 10% CAGR from 2007 to 2012, reaching $458 million, according to the forecast.
Demographic data on pet owners who seek out natural pet products:
- Nearly half (48%) of the dog- or cat-owning households in the US seek out natural or eco-friendly products – for a total population of 25.1 million pet-owning households, according to Simmons Market Research Bureau.
- The largest segments of natural pet-product consumers include non-Hispanic Whites (20.5 million), home owners (17.8 million) and women (16.2 million), along with households without children (15.6 million).
- The segments with the highest propensity to seek out natural, organic, and eco-friendly products include the following:
- Asians (index of 140, or 40% above the pet-owning household norm).
- Those with graduate degrees (index of 127).
- Those living in homes valued at $500,000-$749,999 (index of 126).
- Those living in the Pacific region (index of 118).
- Households with an income of $150,00 or more (index of 117).
“Renters and condo/co-op owners also show a disproportionately high tendency to seek out natural products, in keeping with a market skew toward the top 25 metro areas and with the greater availability of eco-friendly retailers and products in these leading metro areas,” according to the report.
“The impact of the pet food recall may be felt for years to come, as consumers make product safety a top concern and marketers respond by placing appeals like product safety, reliability, and quality at the forefront,” saidDon Montuori, VP of Publishing at Packaged Facts.
“Although pet specialty outlets are still the primary venue for natural and organic products, these products are rapidly infiltrating mass-market outlets, where growing demand represents big opportunities for natural and organic marketers.”
About the study: Now in its second edition, “Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products” in the US provides a comprehensive look at the market for dog and cat products specifically positioned as natural, organic, or eco-friendly in both food and non-pet-food categories. The report examines new product trends, offers competitive profiles of industry leaders, and looks at consumer trends and behaviors.
