Preventive Health Benefits of Pet Food Key Marketing Trend

Iams, Blue Buffalo, and other pet food marketers are focusing on dog and cat products formulated with health boosting ingredients

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Packaged Facts

Jun 19, 2017, 09:41 ET

ROCKVILLE, Md., June 19, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The high cost of human healthcare is forcing many Americans to become more proactive about their health. Pet owners are similarly concerned about preventive health care for their pets. And many think that the foods they buy can make a difference, according to insights published in Pet Food in the U.S., 12th Edition, a report by market research firm Packaged Facts.

In Packaged Facts' 2016 National Pet Owner Survey, more dog and cat owners (74% and 71%, respectively) than in previous years agreed that high-quality dog foods and cat foods are effective for preventive health care. Conversely, barely any disagreed (5% for both dog and cat owners). Purchasing high-quality—and even premium or super premium—pet food may partly explain why a slightly higher percentage of dog and cat owners also claim to be spending more than average on pet food compared to the last two years.

Wanting to keep pets are healthy as possible is execrably linked to the human/animal bond phenomenon, which continues to be a key catalyst for growth in the pet food industry.

"The majority of today's pet owners characterize their pets as family members, and those who do so tend to be willing to spend more money on their pets, both to ensure their health and wellbeing and to pamper them," says David Sprinkle, research director, Packaged Facts.

Other motivations for seeking foods with preventative and healthful properties is due to the greater number of senior and overweight pets with special needs. According to the report, 36% of dog owners have a dog age 7 or older, while 37% of cat owners have a cat in that oldest age bracket. The growing population of older pets means more companion animals are suffering from age-related conditions including joint, coronary, cognitive, and immune-system-related, as well as diabetes and cancer. Senior-targeted pet products—including food, supplements, and more—cover all of these needs as well as routine daily concerns. Similarly, excessive weight in a pet can lead to a whole host of other health issues, just as with humans. Pet foods formulated to slim waist lines and ease the strain on creaky joints and arthritic limbs are becoming more prevalent in today's market.

Various marketers actively have actively sought to cater to this growing demand for high-quality pet food, touting the preventive benefits of their products in both the product descriptions and the product names themselves. Examples include:

By Nature's Active Defense+, "a new line of dog and cat foods specifically formulated to help protect the health of pets." The products "use advanced dietary science to offer SuperFusion - a unique blend that helps protect your pet with high-quality proteins for strong muscles, antioxidant-rich Superfoods for immune system support, and prebiotic fibers to support healthy digestion."
Iams offers two lines with names that hint at preventive health care – Iams ProActive Health and Iams Premium Protection.
Petcurean's Go! Daily Defense, designed to give "dogs the preventative care they need to stay strong and healthy for life."
Blue Buffalo's Blue Life Protection Formula line, which includes LifeSource Bits that are enhanced with Super 7 antioxidants
Hill's Healthy Advantage line, sold in the veterinary channel, touts "preventative nutrition for every lifestage."

About The Report

Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in analyzing the pet food industry as well as Packaged Facts' broad cross-category expertise, Pet Food in the U.S., 12th Edition pinpoints strategic directions for current and prospective marketers, with a forward-looking focus on high-growth product segments and market drivers. Covering products for all type of companion animals, the report devotes separate chapters to Dog Food, Cat Food, and Other Pet Food (birds, small animal, fish, and reptiles), while also providing a comprehensive Market Overview covering cross-market trends and opportunities. Among these: recent and expected mergers and acquisitions; private-label pet food; advertising and promotional initiatives; the impact of natural products on the industry; specialty diet products; and much more.

View additional information about Pet Food in the U.S., 12th Edition, including purchase options, the abstract, table of contents, and related reports at Packaged Facts' website: https://www.packagedfacts.com/Pet-Food-12th-9903763/.

More Packaged Facts reports on pet products and services are available for purchase at: https://www.packagedfacts.com/pet-products-services-c124/.

About Packaged Facts

Packaged Facts, a division of MarketResearch.com, publishes market intelligence on a wide range of consumer market topics, including consumer demographics and shopper insights, consumer financial products and services, consumer goods and retailing, consumer packaged goods, and pet products and services. Packaged Facts also offers a full range of custom research services.

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SOURCE Packaged Facts