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Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Products in the U.S., 6th Edition
This Packaged Facts report focuses on dog and cat products specifically formulated and marketed as natural, organic, and/or eco-friendly (NOEF). It groups the products into two classifications—pet food and pet care—with the latter encompassing all non-food dog and cat supplies including litter, grooming products, clean-up products, beds, toys, supplements, OTC health remedies, and assorted other products. Unless otherwise noted, the term “natural” as used throughout this report is inclusive of organic products, which form a distinct subset of products within the natural pet products market. From a qualitative perspective, the report also covers “ethical” marketing themes frequently associated with natural, organic, and eco-friendly, including corporate responsibility in the form of sustainable or “green” business practices.
This report does not cover “inherently natural” products such as bird seed, small animal litter, and “natural treats” for dogs (rawhide chews, pigs ears, etc.), which are fully covered in other Packaged Facts reports, including Pet Food in the U.S., 12th Edition (March 2016) and Pet Supplies in the U.S., 10th Edition (September 2015).
This Packaged Facts report focuses on dog and cat products specifically formulated and marketed as natural, organic, and/or eco-friendly (NOEF). It groups the products into two classifications—pet food and pet care—with the latter encompassing all non-food dog and cat supplies including litter, grooming products, clean-up products, beds, toys, supplements, OTC health remedies, and assorted other products. Unless otherwise noted, the term “natural” as used throughout this report is inclusive of organic products, which form a distinct subset of products within the natural pet products market. From a qualitative perspective, the report also covers “ethical” marketing themes frequently associated with natural, organic, and eco-friendly, including corporate responsibility in the form of sustainable or “green” business practices.
This report does not cover “inherently natural” products such as bird seed, small animal litter, and “natural treats” for dogs (rawhide chews, pigs ears, etc.), which are fully covered in other Packaged Facts reports, including Pet Food in the U.S., 12th Edition (March 2016) and Pet Supplies in the U.S., 10th Edition (September 2015).
- Executive Summary
- Introduction
- Scope of Report: Pet Food and Pet Care
- Report Methodology
- Market Definitions and Terminology
- Key Ethical Issues
- Market Trends
- Market Share by Retail Channel
- Market Outlook
- Pet Owners Still Concerned with Product Safety
- Safety, Nutritional Concerns Prompt Demand for Transparency
- Competitive Trends
- Market Structure and Retail Dynamics
- Acquisitions, Mergers and Expansions
- Retail Trends
- Marketing and New Product Trends
- Pet Food and Treats
- Limited Ingredient Diets
- Eco-Friendly Products Form Core of Natural Pet Care Market
- Consumer Trends
- More Pet-Owning Households Purchase Organic Foods
- Demographics for Natural Dog Food
- Introduction
- Introduction
- Chapter Highlights
- Scope & Methodology
- Scope of Report: Pet Food and Pet Care
- Report Methodology
- Market Definitions and Terminology
- Natural Pet Food
- Defining Natural
- Raw Pet Food
- Terms Often Associated with Natural and Organic Pet Food
- Natural Pet Food Ingredients
- Undesirable Ingredients
- Natural Pet Care Products
- Changes in Pet Food Regulation
- Litigation over the Meaning of "Natural"
- Ethical Issues
- Key Ethical Issues
- Eco-Friendly ("Green")
- Locally Grown and "Food Miles"
- Humane Treatment of Animals
- No Animal Testing/Cruelty-Free
- No Genetic Modification or Cloned Animals
- Fair Trade/Ethically Sourced
- Sustainable Agriculture and Development
- Corporate Responsibility
- Market Trends
- Chapter Highlights
- Market Size & Composition
- U.S. Retail Sales Approach $9 Billion in 2016
- Table U.S. Retail Sales of Natural Pet Products: Pet Food, Pet Care, Total, 2012-2016 (in millions of dollars)
- Litter Dominates Pet Care Classification
- Mass-Market Sales Trends
- Table IRI-Tracked Sales of Natural Pet Products: Total and by Food and Non-food Category and Segment, May 2016 vs. Year Ago (in millions of dollars and pounds)
- Table Natural Product Share of IRI-Tracked Sales of Pet Products: Total and by Food and Non-food Category and Segment, May 2016 vs. Year Ago (percent and percentage point change)
- Table Share of IRI-Tracked Sales of Natural Pet Product Sales by Food and Non-food Category and Segment, May 2016 vs. Year Ago (percent)
- Specialty/Gourmet and Natural Supermarket Sales Continue Upward Path
- Table U.S. Retail Sales of Pet Products in the Specialty/Gourmet and Natural Supermarket Channels by Channel, 2014 vs. 2015 (in millions of dollars)
- Market Share by Retail Channel
- U.S. Retail Sales Approach $9 Billion in 2016
- Market Outlook
- Natural and Organic Going Strong on the Human Side
- Natural Pet Products Part of Premiumization Trend
- Pet Owners Still Concerned with Product Safety
- Pet Food Exempt from GMO Labeling Regulation … For Now
- Safety, Nutritional Concerns Prompt Demand for Transparency
- Table Level of Agreement with Statement, "I am spending less on pet products because of the economy," 2012-2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Table Level of Agreement with Statement, "Many pet products are becoming too expensive," 2012-2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Table Pet Food Purchasing by Price Level: Dog Owners vs. Cat Owners, 2014 vs. 2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Table Level of Agreement with Statement, "If natural/organic pet products were more available where I shop, I would buy them more often," 2012-2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Table Level of Agreement with Statement, "If natural/organic pet products were more affordable where I shop, I would buy them more often," 2012-2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Table Pet Owner Attitudes and Behavior Characterizing Human/Animal Bond: Pet Owners Overall vs. Natural Pet Food Purchasers, 2016 (percent)
- Market Projections
- Sales to Approach $15 Billion in 2021
- Table Projected U.S. Retail Sales of Natural Pet Products: Pet Food, Pet Care, Total, 2016-2021 (in millions of dollars)
- Sales to Approach $15 Billion in 2021
- Competitive Trends
- Chapter Highlights
- Market Structure and Retail Dynamics
- Acquisitions, Mergers and Expansions
- Blue Buffalo a Hotbed of Activity
- Table Blue Buffalo's Net Sales and Growth, 2010-2015 (in millions of dollars)
- Major Acquisitions
- Consumer Response to Smaller Firms "Selling Out"
- Blue Buffalo a Hotbed of Activity
- Competing in the Natural Market
- Expanding Product Lines and Updating Existing Brands
- Recalls Continue to Impact Natural Brands
- Natural Pet Care Marketers Fill Several Market Niches
- Cause Marketing a Big Draw for Natural Product Purchasers
- Sustainability Initiatives
- Marketer Profile: The Honest Kitchen Thrives on Transparency
- Marketer and Brand Rankings
- Methodology for Estimates
- Pet Specialty Dog Food and Cat Food Market Leaders
- Table Pet Specialty Channel Marketer and Brand Leaders in Dog and Cat Products, 2010-2014 (percent)
- Marketer/Brand Shares of Mass-Market Sales of Natural Dog Food
- Marketer/Brand Shares of Mass-Market Sales of Natural Cat Food
- Marketer/Brand Shares of Mass-Market Sales of Natural Pet Supplies
- Marketer/Brand Shares of Mass-Market Sales of Natural Cat Litter
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Sales of NOEF Dog Food by Product Segment, Marketer, and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Shares of NOEF Dog Food by Product Segment, Marketer, and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Sales of NOEF Cat Food by Product Segment, Marketer, and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Shares of NOEF Cat Food by Product Segment, Marketer, and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Sales of NOEF Pet Supplies by Marketer and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Shares of NOEF Pet Supplies by Marketer and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending March 23, 2014 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Sales of NOEF Litter by Marketer and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending May 16, 2016 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Table IRI-Tracked Retail Dollar Shares of NOEF Litter by Marketer and Brand: 52 Weeks Ending March 23, 2014 vs. Year-Ago Period (in millions of dollars)
- Retail Trends
- Pet Specialty Retailers a Natural Match
- Pet Superstores Bank on NOEF Products
- Table Purchasing Rates for Pet Products in the Pet Specialty Channel, 2012-2016 (percent of dog or cat owners)
- Natural/Organic at the Core of Independent Pet Specialty
- Growth in Online Sales
- Marketing and Product Trends
- Chapter Highlights
- Pet Food and Treats
- Natural Products Focus on What Is, What Isn't In Pet Foods
- Humanization
- "Meat-First" Products Focus on Quality Protein
- Table Pet Food Purchases by Meat Ingredient, 2016 (percent of dog or cat owners purchasing dry or wet pet food)
- Table Pet Food Purchases by Poultry/Game Bird Ingredient, 2016 (percent of dog or cat owners purchasing dry or wet pet food)
- Limited Ingredient Diets
- Focus on Plant-Based Nutrition
- Plant-Based/Meat-Free Pet Food
- Table Pet Food Purchases by Ingredients Other Than Animal Protein, 2016 (percent)
- Preventive Health Benefits of Pet Food Emphasized
- Cats Demand Special Attention
- Raw Foods Marketers Focus on Convenience
- Sustainably and Ethically Sourced Ingredients a Marketing Plus
- Grain-Free, Superfood Treats Drive Category
- Pet Care Products
- Eco-Friendly Products Form Core of Market
- Cat Litter
- Natural Cleaning Products
- Flea/Tick Products
- Pet Supplements
- Grooming Products
- Beds
- Toys
- Collars and Leads
- Consumer Trends
- Chapter Highlights
- Overview of Natural/Organic Product Purchasing
- Note on Data Sources
- More Pet-Owning Households Purchase Organic Foods
- Table General Market Purchasing Patterns for Organic/Natural Products: Households Overall, Dog Owners, Cat Owners, 2014 vs. 2016 (percent of U.S. households)
- Simmons-Tracked Natural/Organic Pet Product Purchasing Drops Slightly
- Younger, Smaller Pets Most Likely to Eat Natural/Organic Pet Food
- Purchasing Patterns by Product Type
- Dry Pet Food Registers Highest Rates of NOEF Product Purchasing
- Table Natural, Organic or Eco-Friendly Product Purchasing Rates for Dog Products by Type, 2014 vs. 2016 (percent of dog product purchasers)
- Table Natural, Organic or Eco-Friendly Product Purchasing Rates for Cat Products by Type, 2014 vs. 2016 (percent of cat product purchasers)
- Walmart, PetSmart Are Top Channels for NOEF Food Purchasing
- Table Where Natural, Organic or Eco-Friendly Pet Food Is Purchased: Selected Channels, 2016 (percent of natural pet food purchasers)
- Blue Buffalo Tops Brand Lists for Food, Treats
- Nutritional Quality Motivates Purchasers
- Pet Owners Heed Vet Recommendations
- Table Purchasing Rates for Selected Brands of Natural/Organic Pet Food, 2016 (percent of natural/organic pet food purchasers)
- Table Purchasing Rates for Selected Brands of Natural/Organic Pet Treats, 2016 (percent of pet product purchasers)
- Made in the U.S.A. Leads by NOEF Pet Food Formulation Type
- Dry Pet Food Registers Highest Rates of NOEF Product Purchasing
- Consumer Profiles
- Half of Pet Product Purchasers Choose NOEF Products
- Table Demographic Overview of the Natural, Organic and Eco-Friendly Pet Product Purchaser, 2016 (percent of dog or cat product purchasers)
- Demographics for Organic Pet Food
- Table Demographic Overview of the Organic Pet Food Purchaser, 2016 (percent, number and index of dog- or cat-owning households)
- Demographics for Natural Dog Food
- Table Demographic Overview of the Natural Dog Food Purchaser, 2016 (percent, number and index of dog-owning households)
- The Science Diet Dog Food Purchaser
- Table Selected Top Demographic Indicators for Purchase of Science Diet Brand Dog Food, 2016 (index of dog-owning households)
- The Nutro Dog Food Purchaser
- Table Selected Top Demographic Indicators for Purchase of Nutro Brand Dog Food, 2016 (index of dog-owning households)
- The Natural Balance Dog Food Purchaser
- Table Selected Top Demographic Indicators for Purchase of Natural Balance Brand Dog Food, 2016 (index of dog-owning households)
- Half of Pet Product Purchasers Choose NOEF Products
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