Dieting dogs drive growth in premium dog food

Author: Leonie Tait

Date published: 17 Dec 2004

Premium dog food is the star performer of the US pet products market, with weight control formulations driving growth, according to a new report from Euromonitor International.

Premium dog food is substantially out-performing both mid-priced and economy brands as US consumers increasingly switch to higher end products. Euromonitor’s latest research shows that premium dog food realised value growth of 4.7% between 2003 and 2004; while mid-priced and economy dog food brands struggled, recording declines in value sales over the same period.

Overweight pets encourage product development

Dog food designed for weight maintenance, first introduced into the US market in 2003, is key to the recent success of premium dog food. By creating new diet variations, manufacturers have responded to the issue of an increasingly overweight dog population in the US. For example, Iams introduced Weight Control Large Breed in 2003 and Pedigree introduced Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance Formulas in March 2004. These premium weight loss oriented foods encourage pet owners to trade up from mid-priced or economy brands, and this trend is a strong factor in motivating the overall growth of dog food sales.

Pets are just like people

The success of premium dog foods in the US has been fuelled by the trend towards the "humanisation" of pets. Pets are increasingly regarded as family members, and are often considered as equivalent to children in the level of attention and care they get from pet owners. Human aesthetic standards are also being applied to pets, including the desire for a healthy weight. This has led to a heightened awareness of the special health needs associated with pets, such as weight management. Consequently, low fat, low carb and high protein dog foods are gaining popularity in the market.

Eric Combelles, head of pet food and pet care research at Euromonitor International comments "The humanisation trend is good news for the pet food industry. It makes pet owners increasingly willing to spend premium prices, as they want the best for their companion. This means they are prepared to pay higher prices for products with health-associated benefits".

Bright future for premium dog food

Euromonitor International forecasts a strong performance for premium dog food between 2004 and 2009. During this period, premium wet and premium dry dog food are expected to grow 27.6% and 30.3%, respectively. Combelles adds "At Euromonitor, we expect to see dog owners continue to choose premium products over mid-priced and economy brands, creating increasing competition for lower-end products. The increased use of premium foods is a trend that will only strengthen in the future, as US consumers continue to accept only the best for their dogs."

"Pet food and pet care in the USA" is a new report from Euromonitor International. Its analysis presents an accurate picture of trends and developments impacting the national industry. This report includes detailed sector coverage of dog food, cat food, other pet food and pet care product.