U.S. Pet Market Focus: Pet Food Update, 2021

U.S. Pet Market Focus: Pet Food Update, 2021

This report provides a numbers-focused update on retail sales and segmentation across the U.S. market for commercial dog and cat food. This retail scope spans the full brick-and-mortar and e-commerce spectrum, including mass-market outlets, pet specialty stores (pet superstores, other pet specialty chains, and independents), other specialty channels that sell pet food, and the internet. Veterinary sector sales of pet food are noted in context, as are pet treats; the latter are covered separately in Packaged Facts’ Pet Treats and Chews report (November 2021). Food products for pets other than dogs or cats are not addressed by this report.



  • Executive Summary
    • Scope & Methodology
      • Scope of Report
      • Report Methodology
    • Pet Food Market Overview
      • Pet Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Dog Food vs. Cat Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: Dog Food vs. Cat Food. 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Dog Food at Two-Thirds of Pet Food Sales
      • Internet vs. Brick-and-Mortar Pet Food Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: Internet vs. Brick-and-Mortar, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions)
      • Dry Pet Food at 60% of Pet Food Sales
    • Dog Food by the Numbers
      • Dogs at 67% of Pet Market Sales
      • Average Pet Food Spending by Dog Household and Per Dog
      • Leading Brand Lines by Consumer Usage Rates
      • Dry vs. Wet Dog Food Usage Rates
    • Cat Food by the Numbers
      • Cats at 29% of Pet Market Sales
      • Average Pet Food Spending by Cat Household and Per Cat
      • Cat Food Dollar Sales
      • Leading Brand Lines by Consumer Usage Rates
      • Even Split Between Dry and Wet Cat Food Dollar Sales
      • Dry vs. Wet Cat Food Usage Rates
  • Pet Food Market Overview
    • Scope of Report
      • Report Methodology
      • Packaged Facts vs. MRI-Simmons Pet Population Estimates
      • Generational Cohorts
      • Geographical Regions
    • Market Size and Projections
      • Pandemic Reset
      • Pet Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Dog Food vs. Cat Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: Dog Food vs. Cat Food. 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Dog Food at Two-Thirds of Pet Food Sales
      • Internet vs. Brick-and-Mortar Pet Food Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Food: Internet vs. Brick-and-Mortar, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions)
      • Channel Choices
      • Dry Pet Food at 60% of Pet Food Sales
      • Wet, Dry, and Treat Usage: A Bird's-eye View
    • Pet Population Overview
      • Pet Ownership Rates
        • Table Topline Pet Ownership Rates by Type, 2016 – 2020 (percent of overall households)
      • Number of Pet-Owning Households
        • Table Number of Pet-Owning Households by Dog or Cat Ownership, 2016/17 – 2020/21 (in millions)
    • Dog Population Trends
      • Dogs in Context
      • Distribution of Pet Ownership by Number of Dogs Owned
        • Table Share of Dog-Owning Households by Number of Pets Owned, 2016/17 – 2020/21 (percent of dog households)
      • Customer Household Base by Number of Dogs Owned
        • Table Household Base by Number Dogs Owned, 2016/17 – 2020/21 (in millions)
      • Growth in Share of Dog Owners with Senior Dogs
        • Table Household Ownership of Dogs: By Age of Dogs, 2020/21 (percent and number of dog-owning households)
      • Overweight and Special Needs Dogs
        • Table Share of Dog Owners Who Report Having Overweight, Special Needs, or Handicapped Dogs, February 2021 (percent)
      • Trend Toward Medium-Size Dogs
        • Table Size of Pet Dogs: Previously Acquired and Recently Acquired, February 2020 vs. February 2021 (percent of dog owners)
        • Table Distribution of Dog-Owning Households by Size of Dogs, 2012/13 – 2020/21 (odd-numbered years) (percent)
        • Table Distribution of Dog-Owning Households by Size of Dogs, 2012/13 – 2020/21 (odd-numbered years) (number in millions)
    • Cat Population Trends
      • Cats in Context
      • Distribution of Pet Ownership by Number of Cats Owned
        • Table Share of Cat-Owning Households by Number of Pets Owned, 2016/17 – 2020/21 (percent of cat households)
      • Customer Household Base by Number of Cats Owned
        • Table Household Base by Number of Cats Owned, 2016/17 – 2020/21 (in millions)
      • Growth in Share of Cat Owners with Senior Cats
        • Table Household Ownership of Cats: By Age of Cats, 2020/21 (percent and number of cat-owning households)
      • Overweight and Special Needs Cats
        • Table Share of Cat Owners Who Report Having Overweight, Special Needs, or Handicapped Cats, February 2021 (percent)
  • Dog Food by the Numbers
    • Overview
      • Dogs at 67% of Pet Market Sales
      • Average Pet Food Spending by Dog Household and Per Dog
      • Dog Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Dog Food: 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Leading Brand Lines by Consumer Usage Rates
      • Demographic Indexes for Purchasing of Leading Brands
        • Table Demographics Indexes for Purchasing of Dry/Wet Dog Food: Selected Brands, 2020/21 (base index against dog owners overall = 100)
        • Table Demographics Indexes for Purchasing Dry/Wet Dog Food: Selected Brands, 2020/21 (base index against dog owners overall = 100)
    • Dry vs. Wet Dog Food
      • Dry Dog Food at Two-Thirds of Sales
      • Dry vs. Wet Dog Food Usage Rates
        • Table Pet Food Customer Base: Dry vs. Wet Dog Food, 2006/07 – 2020/21 (in thousands)
      • Dry vs. Wet Dog Food Purchaser Demographics
        • Table Dry Dog Food vs. Wet Dog Food Purchaser Demographics, 2020/21 (percent, number, and index)
      • Dry Dog Food Brand Leaders
      • Wet Dog Food Brand Leaders
  • Cat Food by the Numbers
    • Overview
      • Cats at 29% of Pet Market Sales
      • Average Pet Food Spending by Cat Household and Per Cat
      • Cat Food Dollar Sales
        • Table U.S. Retail Dollar Sales of Cat Food: 2019, 2020, 2021P, and 2025P (in millions of dollars and percent change)
      • Leading Brand Lines by Consumer Usage Rates
      • Demographic Indexes for Purchasing of Leading Brands
        • Table Demographics Indexes for Purchasing of Dry/Wet Cat Food: Selected Brands, 2020/21 (base index against cat owners overall = 100)
        • Table Demographics Indexes for Purchasing Dry/Wet Cat Food: Selected Brands, 2020/21 (base index against cat owners overall = 100)
    • Dry vs. Wet Cat Food
      • Even Split Between Dry and Wet Cat Food Dollar Sales
      • Dry vs. Wet Cat Food Usage Rates
        • Table Pet Food Customer Base: Dry vs. Wet Cat Food, 2006/07 – 2020/21 (in thousands)
      • Dry vs. Wet Cat Food Purchaser Demographics
        • Table Dry Cat Food vs. Wet Cat Food Purchaser Demographics, 2020/21 (percent, number, and index)
      • Dry Cat Food Brand Leaders
      • Wet Cat Food Brand Leaders

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