Signs of growth ahead

In the past, the accessories segment played second fiddle in the pet supplies business to pet food, which was the primary focus for a long time in many countries. Interesting developments such as the introduction of premium food, the dominance of grain-free pet food and the emergence of raw food for pets exerted a considerably greater pull on large parts of the industry, on retailers and also on consumers than the question of sustainable production methods for dog and cat toys, for example.
Now things are slowly but steadily changing. Cheaply produced, run-of-the-mill accessories for pets can still be found in some pet stores, but in the last few years these have been displaced by better-quality products in many parts of the world. This change in behaviour is linked to a change in attitude by many pet owners, among other things. Since pets have become a permanent member of the family worldwide, the attitude of many pet owners to their four-legged, flying or swimming pets has changed. The needs of pets are coming increasingly to the fore, not least because the opportunities to find out about products, therapies and other aspects of a pet's life as well as for exchanging information with other pet owners all over the globe are now greater than ever before, thanks to the Internet and social networks. When an innovative pet product is launched in the USA, for example, the whole world knows about it in a couple of days. This rapid spread of information also has direct consequences for the accessories segment.

Another reason for the global growth of the accessories segment is the increasing diversification of the market. With the emergence of more and more options for engaging with your pet within your own four walls or outdoors, entirely new products have been created to make pet keeping easier and more pleasant. Illuminated dog collars, cooling mats and blankets for dogs and GPS trackers are all new developments within the last ten years. They have been created in response to customer demand for greater convenience and the pet accessories category is now unimaginable without them. Many of these ideas were taken from the human sphere, where areas like sport and fashion generate a steady stream of new trends that can also be transferred without much effort to the pet sector.