Is pet food inflation driving pet surrenders to shelters?
September 1, 2022 – Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
One of the most positive pet-related outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the increased adoption of pets. As people were forced to lock down at home, many turned to new furry, feathered or scaled creatures for companionship, both existing pet owners adding to their menageries and people becoming pet owners for the first time. Are we seeing the counter-effect now?
Pet food packaging and sustainability
September 1, 2022 – David Sprinkle
As Packaged Facts reports in “Pet Food in the U.S.” (August 2022), purchasing trends for dry dog food by package size reflect in part a trend toward larger dogs. MRI-Simmons data show the percent of dog owners purchasing dog food in packages of 6 lbs. or less slipping from 20% in 2011/12 to 18% for 2021/22, while the percent buying dry dog food in packages of 31 lb. or more edged up from 37% to 42% over this period.
How pet food retail, e-commerce are faring amid inflation
September 8, 2022 – Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
The world today is awash in challenges, and the pet food industry certainly has its share, including significant inflation, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages. With those same challenges affecting nearly every other industry, the ultimate result is increasing financial burden for consumers, including pet owners.
Pet food inflation quickly catching up to human food
September 15, 2022 – Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
It’s becoming a familiar (not to mention sad and scary) story: U.S. pet food inflation hit another new high in August 2022, rising to 13.1% year over year (YOY). Like most other things related to pet food, it’s closely following human food in this regard. The scary part arises from the fact that inflation in pet food is rapidly catching up to human food inflation, which reached 13.5% YOY in August.
Pet food producers’ costs for wet pet food rising most
September 21, 2022 – Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
U.S. pet food producers’ costs to make canned dog and cat food have increased the most since December 2019, before the pandemic: by 38.8% for wet dog food and 25.4% for wet cat food through August 2022. Despite the much greater increase for wet dog food, the growing costs for wet cat food likely played a larger role in driving up the entire cat food category.
Dog brain scan suggests dogs see actions more that objects
September 23, 2022 – Tim Wall
In the pet food industry, the real mental states of dogs and cats matter. For example, new product development depends on decoding animals’ mental motivations. During feeding trials, understanding what’s going on in a dog’s head can only be interpreted by observing behaviors or analyzing bodily fluids and feces. Although similar techniques are used in human and pet preference taste tests, a dog can’t answer a questionnaire like their primate counterparts. Much of what makes a dog or cat choose one food over another can only be inferred by researchers.
All the feels: How to differentiate your pet food brand
September 28, 2022 – Debbie Phillips-Donaldson
The pet food and treats market is a crowded space, with a dizzying array of brands standing on store shelves or displayed on e-commerce platforms. Pet owners often profess to feeling overwhelmed by the choices. In fact, all consumers are facing a “cognitive load,” with dozens of thoughts, demands and priorities inundating their brains and competing for attention and action, according to Samantha Scantlebury, brand strategy director for Signal Theory, a brand development, marketing and design firm.
