Live at Petfood Essentials: Pet Snacks Put Emphasis on Health, Safety

COVID has had a profound and lasting effect on how we view the pets in our lives, and what we expect in the way of functional health, nutrition, safety, and more in their treats.

As pets become an increasingly integral part of the family, consumers change their spending habits, along with their focus on wellness and safety.
As pets become an increasingly integral part of the family, consumers change their spending habits, along with their focus on wellness and safety.

Kicking off the informational sessions and exhibits that will encompass this week’s Petfood Forum, the focus today at Petfood Essentials was on pet snacking. Treats for our pets are no small matter. The global pet treat market reached more than $8 billion in sales in 2023 and, with a CAGR of about 5.3%, is expected to hit $14.5 billion by 2032. It’s a market that is not only growing in size, but in importance as we look at what we expect those snacks to do for our pets.

COVID’s lasting effect on behaviors

Suzy Badarraco, president at Culinary TidesSuzy Badarraco, president at Culinary Tides

COVID has had a lasting effect on consumer behaviors, including the way we buy for our pets, according to Suzy Badarraco, president at Culinary Tides, who kicked off today’s Petfood Essentials sessions. “The behavior has changed dramatically from what you would normally predict to happen to what they are actually doing,” she says. “For instance, sustainability usually drops through the floor when there’s an inflationary period. That’s not actually happening. They’re still spending on sustainability selectively.”

Consumers are not going toward comfort food, Badarraco says, but are instead exploring new flavors. They’re also not dropping their spending on health foods. Vegetarian behaviors are also going up in consumers, which extends to the pet industry. “But I’ll tell you: They’re not saving the planet; they’re saving their wallets,” she says. “It’s cheaper to be vegetarian. Sometimes they impose that upon the pet.”

Some key health trends:

  • 56% would pay more for a product labeled healthy (IFIC).
  • 47% are interested in products to support functional needs (Innova).
  • 80% consider their pet’s health to be as important as their own (Beneo).
  • 78% will pay more for clean label, natural claims (Ingredion).

When it comes to sustainability, there’s a high level of ignorance from consumers about what various claims mean. A quarter of them cannot articulate what makes a product sustainable, 60% don’t know what carbon neutral means, and most don’t know how to identify a sustainable company. “If you’re not talking about it, they have no idea you’re sustainable,” Badarraco says.

Beware the difference between pet treats and supplements

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