The US online channel’s share of pet food sales could hit 5 percent in 2017.
From Petfood Industry:
Internet sales of pet food have steadily increased over the past years, and Petfood Industry has reported the data documenting the rising importance of e-commerce.
Online pet food sales in 2014
In 2014, IBISWorld’s “Online Pet Food & Pet Supply Sales” market research report authors calculated that online pet food sales totaled US$666 million in 2011, according IBISWorld. The food and treat category comprised roughly 33% of the US$2 billion online pet-related sales in 2011.
IBIS analysts estimated that online market size for pet food, treats and supplies sold on the Internet reached US$3.2 billion in 2014. That's an annual growth rate of 7.8% from 2009 to 2014.
Online pet food sales in 2017
More recent IBISWorld data showing that online sales of pet food and supplies continued to grow. Online sales of pet food grew at an annualized rate of 8.9 percent from 2011 to 2016, with sales increasing 7 percent in 2016 alone, reaching a total of US$4.9 billion globally.
A similar set of data from Euromonitor International corroborates IBISWorld’s assessment. Online sales of pet food and other pet products increased from about 6 to 14 percent in 2016, depending on the region of the world, with sales of dog and cat food rising at least 15 percent in the US alone, according to Euromonitor.
In the US, dog and cat food online sales totaled about US$1 billion in 2016, or about 3 percent of the US$31 billion market, according to Euromonitor. Jared Koerten, the research firm’s lead analyst for pet care, projects that the US online channel’s share of pet food sales could hit 5 percent in 2017.
While most pet owners indicated they reduced spending on petfood and treats during the recession, according to a survey conducted by Pet Business, many consumers gravitated online to purchase more-affordable substitutes in lower quantities.
Tim Wall covers the dog, cat and other pet food industries as a senior reporter for WATT Global Media. His work has appeared inScientific American, Live Science, Discovery News, Honduras Weekly, Global Journalist and other outlets. He holds an M.A. in journalism and an M.S. in natural resources, both
from the University of Missouri - Columbia, along with a bachelor's degree in biology.
Wall served in the Peace Corps in Honduras from 2005 to 2007, where he coordinated with the town government of Moroceli to organize a municipal trash collection system, taught environmental science, translated for medical brigades and facilitated sustainable agriculture, along with other projects.
Many hours, efforts, dollars and brainpower go into pet food companies’ and regulatory bodies’ efforts to ensure that products on the market are safe and healthy for pets.
