If the lingering Covid-19 cloud has a silver lining, pets will be treated better than ever.
Pet ownership has grown significantly in the past 12 months, with around 4% of Australian households getting a new pet in 2020.
While a pet is there for life, not just lockdown, many people found the work-life balance shift bought by the pandemic as an opportune time to welcome a furry friend. The PetRescue charity website helped shelter nearly 72,000 pets last fiscal year, and in some parts of the country they even ran out of rescue dogs to house them.
The rise in the number of “pet parents” in Australia certainly contributed to the 3.7 percent growth in the pet care category in brick and mortar grocery stores, said Craig Sargeant, general manager of Mars Petcare Australia.
“With people at home more than ever, it's been a good year for our cats and dogs,” he says.
More time at home also created a closer bond with our pets.
"While they curled up under our desks during a Zoom call, we've developed new habits and increased the number of tidbits we sneak into those cute furry faces," says Sargeant.
The care and treatment subcategory continues to show strong growth with increasing repeat purchases. With 44.2 percent growth in the last twelve months, the sub-category of cat grooming and treats is a continuously growing force in the animal gang.
"Unsurprisingly, the number of Australians viewing pets as part of the family is increasing," says Sargeant.
“As love increases, so does the care that we apply to the animal feed we feed. Brands that understand our animals' health and wellbeing needs rely on quality meat and natural references to sell foods that help pets thrive. "
Find out more about pet needs in the August issue of Retail World.
Sources available upon request.
A New Generation of Pet Owners first appeared in Retail World Magazine.
