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Viewing report
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Pet Foods Market Assessment
Key Note Publications Ltd, Jan 2001
This report looks at the UK pet food market, with particular emphasis on the major categories of cat and dog food. The market has grown steadily during the last 5 years, with changes in pet ownership levels affecting growth rates in individual market sectors. The continuing changes in consumer lifestyles during the past few years have led to an increase in the popularity of `low maintenance pets' such as cats, small animals or fish rather than dogs. As a result, there has been an increase in the number of cat-owning households and in the total cat population, while dog ownership has fallen, as has the total number of dogs.
The dog food sector, nevertheless, remains the largest in both volume and value terms in 2000, due to the fact that the average dog is much larger than a cat and so requires more food. Owners, therefore, are obliged to spend more on food for their pet dogs than for cats.
The performance of the pet food market in the UK is affected by a number of different factors, including levels of pet ownership. Other key factors include trends in the type and number of pets owned, and socio-demographic factors such as the increase in the number of single-person households, the ageing nature of the population and social factors. These social factors include the increase in the number of women working outside the home either full or part time and the long working hours culture that has been endemic in the UK workforce during the late 1990s and into the 21st century.
The UK pet food market is split into three main product sectors: dog food, cat food and other pet food (small animal feed, bird seed and fish food). The market can be segmented according to the type of food, with the main sectors being moist food, dry food, and treats/snacks.
The key growth areas in the UK pet food market are in the dry food sectors in both cat and dog food although more so in the dog food market in the premium pet food sectors and in niche sectors such as pet treats and lifestyle or health-related products. There has also been some growth in the `other' pet food sector, albeit from a much lower base.
Consumers are increasingly conscious of what they feed to their pets and are more likely to pamper their animals than in the past. As such, they are prepared to spend more on premium varieties of pet food and the pet food manufacturers in turn have invested in new product development (NPD) to develop a wider choice of products. In the cat food market, for example, the growth of the single-serve sector has been phenomenal during the past 3 years since Whiskas launched the first 100g foil pouch products in 1998. While it is more expensive to feed a cat this way than using conventional 400g cans, many cat owners are clearly favouring the convenience, lack of waste and freshness offered by such packaging.
Another key growth sector is that of complete dry dog or cat food (Cddf/Cdcf), due in part to the growth of the pet superstore sector where pet owners can buy such products in bulk. Manufacturers of such foods have been keen to stress the all round nutritional balance of such a diet and the benefits for dental health of a dry food diet. It is also in this sector that the greatest product differentiation has occurred with products available for puppies/kittens, adults, seniors, active pets or to combat conditions such as hairballs (in cats). Pet food manufacturers and specialist retailers are keen to educate consumers of the varying nutritional needs of their pets throughout the pet's life in order to encourage purchasing of lifestage foods.
The market continues to concentrate in the UK in terms of supply, with two companies accounting for well over a half of all sales by volume and value. The multinational Swiss-based company Nestlé owns Friskies and Spillers (the various brands of which include Felix and Winalot), while the US-based corporation Mars owns Pedigree Masterfoods and therefore brands such as Whiskas, Pedigree Chum, Pal and Kitekat. In May 2001, a takeover of Ralston Purina by Nestlé was announced, which will form the largest pet food company in the world, adding brands such as Baker's Complete, Kit'n'Kaboodle, Omega and Purina's other brands to the Nestlé portfolio.
That said, there is still room for smaller, specialist brands in the UK pet food market, especially in sectors such as fish, bird and other small animal pet food. The move towards premium and super-premium dry food varieties for dogs and cats has allowed some specialist brands such as Hill's Science Diet and Iams to gain a foothold in this growth sector. Global grocery company Procter and Gamble bought Iams/Eukanuba in 1999, since when retail distribution of the product has widened considerably from the pet trade into the supermarket sector.
Further modest growth for the UK pet food market is expected over the next 5 years with a continued move towards dry pet foods in both the dog and cat food markets. Sales of pet treats are also expected to increase in line with the tendency for owners to pamper their pets. At the same time, a greater awareness of the dangers of over feeding pets and providing a healthy diet should lead to increased sales of products with claims of enhanced nutritional qualities or health benefits and even of organic pet foods.
Unique Selling Point
This new report on the UK pet food market identifies the key factors of importance to consumers when purchasing pet food, in order to provide a backdrop to predictions for market growth over the next 5 years.
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