Health more important than cost

For owners of cats and dogs, health and wellness aspects outweigh considerations regarding taste and price when they purchase pet food, according to a study by international market research company Mintel. 

Researchers discovered that 60 per cent of pet food purchasers in the UK, for example, prioritise the health advantages in their choice of food, while a third of US consumers switch their pet’s food to improve the latter’s general wellbeing.

When choosing pet food, cat owners attach slightly more importance to saving money than dog owners, who give priority to the taste preferences of their canine companion. The majority of food buyers in the UK indicated that they were interested in an individual nutrition plan to help their pet with acceptance.

“We predict that made-to-measure pet food for individual cats and dogs, specially coordinated to their health needs, will become increasingly popular in the next few years,” says Kate Vlietstra, a global food and drink analyst at Mintel, in summary.

The full report can be accessed here.