Durable Pet Products Market Is Challenging, but Opportunities Remain

The durable pet products market has experienced challenges in the past two years that have caused sales to moderate since the height of the pandemic, but opportunities remain, according to a new report.

Inflationary conditions across consumer markets have forced down spending on non-essentials, and a decline in the dog population has had a real impact in a market where nearly 70% of sales come from dog owners, according to Packaged Facts, which recently released Durable Dog and Cat Pet Care Products in the US, 5th Edition.

Opportunities for marketers to make the best of the situation include focusing on value and strengthening cat product offerings, according to Packaged Facts. Examples include:

• With so many pet owners tightening the purse strings, continued premiumization is no longer able to propel sales of durable products as in the past. Rather, affordable products that allow households that are economically challenged to participate more fully in the durables market will be advantageous to marketers, allowing them to appeal to a wider range of pet owners including the less affluent ones often left behind by higher priced fare.
• Even more so than in the pet food market, cats are an underserved demographic in the pet durables market; cats accounted for not even one-third of durable pet product sales in 2023. Aside from the litter category, cats have historically taken second place in the pet market, with food and supplies selections geared toward cats seldom as robust as those for dogs. With the decline in the dog population, it’s high time marketers take up a focus on cat products to appeal to this more stable pet population.

The report covers historical and projected growth trends from 2018-28 in seven durable product categories: toys; collars, leashes, and harnesses; carriers, crates, and housing; beds; bowls, feeders, and waterers; apparel and fashion accessories; and litter boxes and accessories. Other coverage includes consumer purchase patterns and pet owner sentiment and attitudes from Packaged Facts’ proprietary Survey of Pet Owners.

Packaged Facts is a division of MarketResearch.com, which publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, the food and beverage market, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers custom research services.