2015 Pet Industry Trends

  Posted on December 31, 2014  by joyofliving  No comments

As the new year looms, it’s interesting to read predictions about what’s to come in the pet industry.  The January 2015 issue of Pet Product News International identified these pet industry trends for 2015:

• Paying higher prices for better quality pet food.  Pet guardians are becoming more aware of food and treats that will help their four legged companions stay healthier longer.  WIth the number of pet food and treat recalls this year, many pet guardians are becoming much more savvy regarding reading ingredients in pet food and identifying sourcing of those ingredients.  Sales of mass markets foods are slowing and being replaced by items such as raw food in freeze dried, frozen or refrigerated form.  Some estimates indicate pet food sales will rise 3-4.5 % per year through 2018.
• Wearable tech products for pets.  Wearable tech for all types of pets is set to explode, much as wearable tech is taking off for humans.  Research shows wearable tech sales for pets will reach $2.6 billion by 2025.  These devices will monitor activity levels, behavior, and health.  Wearable tech devices are also coming on the market to monitor activities of pet caregivers such as dog walkers, sitters and pet daycare providers to ensure pets are receiving the care agreed upon and paid for by owners.  Many apps are also being developed such as the ASPCA Petoxins app that lists plants poisonous to dogs, and a Foursquare app that shows various pet facilities such as dog runs and groomers in the area.
• More pet care businesses launching.  Services such as dog training and grooming continue to grow at double digit rates.  The number of dog trainers is expected to grow by 15% by 2022.  With cities becoming more pet-friendly, dog grooming, both mobile and salon type, are growing at high rates. Mobile grooming will continue to grow, especially in large cities where parking is a problem.

It will be interesting to see how these trends perform in the new year.  Have a safe, happy and prosperous 2015 and we’ll look forward to bringing you more great content in the new year!