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5 consumer trends found in new pet supplement shopper survey
Consumers are most likely to gain confidence in pet supplements if these two key consumer confidence-sealing elements are used by brands.
4 Min Read
At a Glance
- May 2024 survey offer shopper insights.
- Dog and cat shoppers focus on different health states.
- Probiotics have jumped species from humans to their pets.
[Editor’s note: This article is part of the new Natural Products Insider digital magazine on the pet supplement market. Download it for free here. Learn about ingredients to propel new pet product launches, consumer trends showing the white space in the market, and formulation tips to create great-tasting treats that will make pets healthier longer.]
Demographically, pet supplement shoppers are like pet guardians in general, but with distinct attitudes and behaviors regarding their pets’ health. Studying the values and motivators of consumers in this segment can help a brand to better serve the needs and begin to recognize trends among early adopters.
To this end, a May 2024 pet consumer survey by MarketPlace offers insights into the people who buy supplements for their pets. The following are five trends from the latest data regarding this subgroup of pet supplement shoppers.
Species-specific need states
Pet supplement purchases differed somewhat by species in terms of need states. Among dog owners who bought pet supplements in the prior year, 40% reported purchasing products for joint health and 37% for skin and coat. In contrast, among cat owners who bought supplements, only 24% reported purchasing them for joint health and 31% for skin and coat.
About 22% of cat supplement shoppers reported purchasing urinary and kidney supplements for their cat, whereas only 10% of dog supplement shoppers reported buying these products for their dog.
Cat owners were also more likely than dog owners to report purchasing immunity and senior wellness supplements. On the other hand, dog parents were more likely than cat parents to report purchasing gut health, allergy relief and pain relief supplements for their dog.
Science is a motivator
Science is important to many pet supplement shoppers. The data indicated consumers are most likely to gain confidence in pet supplements backed by scientific studies or endorsed by veterinarians. More than one-fourth of pet supplement shoppers said “‘vet recommended’ on packaging” would be among the claims most likely to give them confidence in a pet supplement they were considering. Similarly, 22% said the same for “clinically proven” and 20% for “science backed.”
Claims about purity also rated highly among pet supplement shoppers. Almost 27% said “all natural” would be among the claims most likely to give them confidence. About 20% said the same for “organic.” Relatively speaking, claims about point of origin (e.g., “Made in America”) were a lower priority compared to those related to science and purity.
The benefits of biotics
More than 86% of pet supplement shoppers said they are at least generally familiar with probiotics. Additionally, 42% of these consumers associate probiotics with positive health benefits. About 27% said the same for prebiotics and 9% for postbiotics.
Furthermore, 41% of pet supplement shoppers said they spent at least one hour researching probiotics in the prior 12 months; 24% said the same for prebiotics. Pet parents identified veterinarians, friends and family, and online resources like search, video and reviews as key sources of information and inspiration about wellness for their pets.
Multichannel shoppers
Pet supplement shoppers are using both online and in-store channels to purchase products for their companion animals. Chewy.com was the top retail channel for these consumers, followed by Amazon.com, mass retail stores and pet specialty stores.
Some slight differences in preference emerged between dog and cat owners. Dog parents were slightly more likely to choose online channels, whereas cat parents were more likely to report shopping in brick-and-mortar stores. Regardless, the data showed both types of owners are shopping online and in-store at high rates.
Format preferences
Among shoppers for dog supplements, 43% said they are most likely to prefer a treat made with ingredients that provide health benefits, and 41% indicated preference for supplements in soft chews for their dogs. In contrast, among cat supplement shoppers, 35% showed preference for a treat made with ingredients that provide health benefits, while 38% indicated they prefer cat supplements as soft chews.
Interestingly, 34% of cat supplement shoppers said a wet, gravy-like topper would be in their top formats to consider for supplements for their cat. However, only 20% of dog supplement shoppers said the same. Furthermore, about 22% of dog supplement shoppers said they prefer pills for their dog, whereas only 13% of cat supplement shoppers said the same for their cats.
About the survey
The latest survey, conducted in May 2024 by MarketPlace, reached 754 U.S. pet parents, among whom 241 reported having purchased a pet supplement in the prior 12 months. U.S. pet guardians are adults who report owning at least one dog, cat or horse, and make or share in making purchase decisions regarding their household pets. Detailed findings will be released in a report later this year.
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