Factoring in challenging macroeconomic and dog population trends, but also some signs of improvement in inflation, Packaged Facts projects retail sales of pet food and treats to rise 2.1% to US$70.45 billion in 2026. A compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2% is projected over the upcoming 2025–2030 period, thereby bringing sales to US$80.67 billion in 2030.
The post-pandemic era has seen a significant portion of Americans grappling with inflation and the elevated costs of living. In Packaged Facts’ January 2026 Survey of Pet Owners, 27% of pet owners reported that their ability to buy nonessentials had been negatively impacted by the economic environment, compared with 15% positively impacted. A similar negative skew played out in their ability to pay monthly bills (26% versus 16%). Even so, patterns have improved slightly since the January 2025 survey, when 31% of pet owners reported being negatively impacted in their ability to buy non-essentials, and 29% in their ability to pay monthly bills.
