{"id":61665,"date":"2026-02-20T08:00:49","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T13:00:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clarkstonconsulting.com\/?p=61665"},"modified":"2026-02-20T11:36:36","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T16:36:36","slug":"2026-pet-care-industry-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clarkstonconsulting.com\/insights\/2026-pet-care-industry-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Pet Care Industry Trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2026<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n

Download the full 2026 Pet Care Industry Trends Report here<\/span><\/a>. <\/strong><\/h2>\n

This free trends report outlines industry perspectives and expert advice from our team of consumer products consultants. You can view an excerpt of the report below, and if you\u2019d like to discuss any of the trends or other challenges in the pet care space, connect with our team today<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Key Pet Care Industry Trends<\/strong><\/h2>\n

As the pet care industry moves into 2026, shifting economic realities and consumer values are reshaping how pet owners spend.\u00a0The growing influence of Gen Z pet owners, continued humanization of pets, and sustainability pushes are all\u00a0shaping how pet care organizations develop their products.\u00a0As these influences take hold, manufacturers need to consider how to appeal to each market segment.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Further, as the market becomes more polarized in 2026, pet care companies should make clear efforts to demonstrate how their product delivers value. Investments in digital engagement, functional nutrition, value-based offerings, and sustainable packaging will be critical for capturing consumer spending. Organizations that align their strategies with these shifts will be better positioned for success.<\/span><\/p>\n

Clarkston’s pet products consultants<\/a> have highlighted the top pet care trends that businesses should consider and keep top-of-mind throughout the year:<\/p>\n

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  1. Generational Preferences Driving Pet Owner Engagement Tactics<\/li>\n
  2. Tension Between Premium Preferences & Price Sensitivity<\/li>\n
  3. Rising Costs for Pet Experiences and Insurance Cutting into Product Spending<\/li>\n
  4. Sustainability & Recycling Impacting Packaging Decisions<\/li>\n
  5. Pet Food Recalls and Industry Responses<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
    Trend 1:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
    Generational Preferences Driving Pet Owner Engagement Tactics\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

    Throughout 2025, Gen Z\u00a0showed\u00a0<\/span>significant growth in pet ownership<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0They are more likely than any other demographic to\u00a0<\/span>have a wide variety of pets<\/span><\/a>, including cats, birds, and reptiles, and\u00a0<\/span>on average spend\u00a0more per\u00a0month<\/span><\/a>\u00a0on their pets than other generations.\u00a0\u00a0As\u00a0<\/span>Gen Z represents<\/span><\/a>\u00a0a growing share of the pet owner market, their preferences are increasingly shaping engagement strategies across the industry.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Gen Z is more likely to\u00a0<\/span>shop online<\/span><\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0through\u00a0mobile apps, making strengthened\u00a0omnichannel pathways\u00a0essential. Seamless mobile checkout experiences and mobile-friendly payment options are critical to meeting their expectations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Social commerce\u00a0also plays\u00a0a central role\u00a0in influencing purchase decisions for\u00a0younger generations.\u00a0One report shares that\u00a0<\/span>97% of Gen Z\u00a0customers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0report using\u00a0social media as their\u00a0primary\u00a0source of shopping inspiration, making these platforms\u00a0a\u00a0necessary pathway for\u00a0discovery and conversion.\u00a0Enabling\u00a0a seamless transition\u00a0from\u00a0social posts to product\u00a0pages\u00a0to purchase\u00a0can help\u00a0improve engagement and\u00a0sales among this generation.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Trust dynamics further differentiate this generation.\u00a0<\/span>More than half of Gen Z consumers<\/span><\/a>\u00a0say they\u00a0<\/span>trust influencer recommendations\u00a0over traditional\u00a0brand advertisements, creating\u00a0opportunity\u00a0for pet care brands to\u00a0<\/span>build credibility and loyalty<\/span><\/a>\u00a0through authentic partnerships.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Looking to\u00a02026\u00a0and beyond,\u00a0companies that embed digital and social-first tactics into their broader omnichannel strategies will be better positioned to capture and\u00a0retain\u00a0this\u00a0growing population of pet owners.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Trend 2:<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h5>\n
    Tension Between Premium <\/span>Preferences & Price Sensitivity<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h6>\n

    This\u00a0spending disparity\u00a0can be seen\u00a0through\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>disappearance of the middle consumer.\u00a0<\/span><\/a>Wealthy consumers\u00a0continue\u00a0spending\u00a0more while\u00a0middle- to low-income\u00a0shoppers\u00a0seek\u00a0value-based products.\u00a0This means pet care companies need to\u00a0either\u00a0focus on premium offerings or turn to\u00a0budget goods\u00a0and\u00a0impactful discount strategies to win\u00a0over\u00a0the average consumer.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Premiumization\u00a0and Alternative Diets<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Premium offerings\u00a0for pet food\u00a0will\u00a0continue to expand\u00a0since\u00a0transparency\u00a0and\u00a0\u201cgood for you\u201d\u00a0value\u00a0drivers\u00a0are core to\u00a0<\/span>human choices for their own diets<\/span><\/a>, and\u00a0as such,\u00a0owners\u00a0translate that mentality to their\u00a0pets\u2019\u00a0diets.\u00a0High-income shoppers\u00a0aren\u2019t\u00a0afraid to spend money on food and items\u00a0they believe will improve their pets\u2019 quality of life.\u00a0Consumers who choose\u00a0premium\u00a0usually look for ingredients focused on health benefits like overall wellness, digestion, and\u00a0pet life\u00a0longevity, with an extra focus toward\u00a0healthy, high-quality foods that are vet approved.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    We\u2019ve\u00a0seen large growth in fresh, dehydrated, air dried, and frozen foods, with refrigerated and frozen dog food alone growing\u00a0sales\u00a0by\u00a0<\/span>13.4%<\/span><\/a>\u00a0(<\/span>compared to\u00a0-0.2% growth of the total dog food category<\/span><\/i>)<\/span>.\u00a0Additionally, kibble-plus, gently cooked, and personalized diets are on the rise.\u00a0As with any growing category, these expanding options have led to an overall rise in the number of brands\u00a0producing\u00a0fresh food products,\u00a0such as\u00a0Freshpet\u00a0expanding its premium line offerings of\u00a0all-natural\u00a0dog food and companies like\u00a0<\/span>General Mills and Nestl\u00e9 Purina<\/span><\/a>\u00a0adding\u00a0fresh pet food lines.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    As\u00a0expanding options for premium\u00a0food offerings\u00a0become more mainstream,\u00a0these\u00a0pet\u00a0food options will become\u00a0an\u00a0expectation\u00a0for consumers.\u00a0In 2026,\u00a0brands\u00a0that succeed will\u00a0ensure food quality and\u00a0continue to\u00a0enhance their\u00a0range of\u00a0offerings.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Budget-Friendly\u00a0Products<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    At the same time,\u00a064% of US customers,\u00a043% globally,\u00a0cited\u00a0<\/span>\u201ctoo expensive\u201d<\/span><\/a>\u00a0as the main reason for not feeding\u00a0alternative\u00a0diets\u00a0to their pets.\u00a0Across\u00a0<\/span>the CPG industry<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0seeing customers shift down\u00a0in spending\u00a0to\u00a0search for value-based offerings; the pet industry is no different.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Due to\u00a0increasing inflation and economic uncertainty,\u00a0<\/span>discretionary consumer spending has been declining<\/span><\/a>\u00a0among\u00a0non-high income\u00a0consumers. This has strengthened the demand for budget-friendly\u00a0pet products, often shifting consumer spending to private\u00a0label,\u00a0and\u00a0made impactful promotional strategies a necessity.\u00a0From 2024 to 2025,\u00a0private label pet care unit sales\u00a0<\/span>grew 3.5%<\/span><\/a>\u00a0vs\u00a0a 0.6% decline in unit sales for national brands, highlighting an opportunity to\u00a0see success\u00a0for brands who\u00a0can best\u00a0highlight their budget-friendly products.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Strategies to Reach Price\u00a0Sensitive Consumers<\/i>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Just as consumer budgets are tightening, so are marketing and trade budgets for companies. Every dollar spent needs to be stretched further. Due to this, many companies are employing new strategies to capture\u00a0their\u00a0shoppers\u2019\u00a0spend, such as\u00a0offering\u00a0affordable entry points without abandoning premium positioning to drive value for the consumer.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    For example, consider how to focus on\u00a0framing value as cost per day \/ per use\u00a0and frame the\u00a0long-term\u00a0value of investment in higher-priced, premium pet products. Pet owners\u00a0want to ensure the best quality of life for their\u00a0pet and\u00a0will be more\u00a0willing to focus on the value over the price if it means providing risk-prevention and care.\u00a0Additionally,\u00a0almost all\u00a0pet\u00a0retailers are\u00a0leveraging\u00a0loyalty and\u00a0subscriptions as value tools instead of direct price cuts,\u00a0providing an opening for brands to align with retailer strategies\u00a0<\/span>to win on the shelf<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Beyond\u00a0promotional\u00a0strategies,\u00a0brands need to invest internally to\u00a0ensure they\u00a0are capturing useful data points and\u00a0utilizing\u00a0tools that\u00a0can directly\u00a0impact\u00a0ROI\u00a0and the bottom line.\u00a0The best ways to\u00a0increase internal impact is through\u00a0quality data strategies\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>upgrading Trade Promotion practices<\/span><\/a>\u00a0through\u00a0<\/span>a new system<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0more effective business\u00a0processes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Looking ahead, this divide between premium and budget\u00a0pet food\u00a0segments\u00a0will\u00a0continue to shape the industry in 2026. As the middle-ground market segment continues to shrink, brands need to choose a direction\u00a0to stay relevant in one of the two prominent segments. Pet companies that choose to specialize in high-end, premium\u00a0food\u00a0products\u00a0will need to\u00a0prioritize transparency\u00a0& education, quality, and expert-approved ingredients to appeal to the health-focused consumer. Meanwhile,\u00a0budget-friendly\u00a0offerings\u00a0will need to\u00a0emphasize\u00a0cost-efficiency\u00a0and strengthen\u00a0brand loyalty\u00a0to remain competitive with consumers that value affordability.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Continue reading by downloading the full report below.<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

    Download the Full 2026 Pet Care Industry Trends Report Here<\/a> <\/span><\/p>\n

     <\/p>\n

    Read last year’s Pet Care Industry Trends Report here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    In recent years,\u00a0we\u2019ve\u00a0seen a rapid rise in the\u00a0number of\u00a0<\/span>premium\u00a0and ultra-premium\u00a0pet product offerings<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0stemming\u00a0from the\u00a0continued push to\u00a0humanize\u00a0pets\u00a0and make them a focal part of\u00a0pet-owning families.\u00a0More recently, as shoppers have tightened their budgets due to inflation and\u00a0difficult economic\u00a0conditions,\u00a0we\u2019re\u00a0also\u00a0seeing\u00a0a shift in\u00a0spending\u00a0towards\u00a0budget-tier\u00a0items.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n