Natural/Organic Pet
Food and Supplies Sales
Remain Strong
Natural and organic pet products
are becoming the standard for
premium pet products in the pet
specialty channel while edging
into mainstream channels on the
strength of consumer demand for
safer products, mass- and cross-channel marketers further tapping
into the trend, niche marketers up-scaling their products in response,
and celebrity-backed contenders
entering into the competitive fray,
according to Natural, Organic and
Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the
U.S., 3rd Edition by market research publisher Packaged Facts.
Packaged Facts pet owner survey data published in the report
reveal that 62% of dog owners and
56% of cat owners have purchased
natural/organic pet products in
the last three months, with 16%
of dog or cat owners purchasing
organic food within the same pe-
riod. Moreover, nearly half of pet
owners would buy more natural/
organic pet supplies if these non-
food products were more widely
available, and nearly two-thirds
would do so if the products were
less expensive—an indication that
affordability is an even bigger is-
sue than availability in this price-
conscious, recessionary era.
Nevertheless, the recession
hasn’t prevented natural and organic pet products from remaining
a top growth segment in the market, posting double-digit annual
percentage increases.
“In the vast U.S. pet market, for-
mulating and positioning products
along natural, organic and holistic
lines is a way for traditional mar-
keters to pique pet owners’ inter-
est and convert them to more expen-
sive fare,” explains Don Montuori,
publisher of Packaged Facts. “The
top five U.S. marketers of pet
food (i.e., Del Monte, Science Diet,
Nestlé Purina, Mars and Iams) are
now heavily invested in the natu-
ral segment via new product intro
ductions, evidence of the major
market shift that has occurred
since 2005.”
By embracing the natural and or-
ganic trend, mainstream marketers
can carve out a niche or strengthen
their foothold in pet specialty stores,
natural supermarkets, and online—
thus setting themselves apart from
convention-bound competitors. This
especially holds true in mature cat-
egories such as food and litter, where
many traditional formats and brands
have slipped into commodity status,
notes Montuori.
Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the U.S.,
3rd Edition focuses on dog and cat
products specifically positioned
as natural or organic. The report
groups the products into two classifications—pet food and non-food
pet supplies. Also covered in report are related trends and issues
including sustainability, corporate
responsibility, and other “
ethical” initiatives such as fair trade
and support of family farms. Exclusive consumer data from Packaged Facts’ pet owner survey are
featured in this report. For further information visit: www.pa
ck-agedfacts.com/Natural-Organic-
Eco-2161071.
Packaged Facts, a division of
MarketResearch.com, publishes
market intelligence on a wide range
of consumer market topics, including consumer goods and retailing,
foods and beverages, demographics, pet products and services, and
financial products. Learn more at
www.packagedfacts.com.
Fewer Affluent Spending,
but Spending More
In the category of home luxuries––
items for one’s home, like art and
antiques, garden and outdoor
items, and linens and bedding––
2009 was a rocky year. Far fewer
affluent consumers purchased
items from this category, finds the
new Home Luxury Report 2010
from Unity Marketing. However,
those who made purchases spent
on average 50 percent more than
they spent on luxuries for their
home in 2008.
The latest report is based upon
surveys among 4,739 luxury consumers with an average income of
about $220,200. This sample is representative of the approximately
22 million affluent households in
the country.
“The contraction in the percentage of affluents buying home luxuries –– from 52 percent in 2006 to
41 percent in 2009 –– is a cause for
concern for marketers,” says Pam
Danziger, president of Unity Marketing and author of the report.
“However, significantly higher
levels of spending from affluents
who did make a home luxury purchase should have a moderating
effect for marketers.”
Trends in the market for home
luxuries
Key findings on the market for home
luxuries include:
In art and antiques, the big sto-
ry is original art. Affluents want
and are willing to pay for that
In The News
Gift & Home Interactive
August 2010
