Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 2nd Edition


Attention: There is an updated edition available for this report.

Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 2nd Edition examines the U.S. market for pet treats and rawhide chews, as defined below. Its primary focus is on products for dogs and cats, but to provide perspective on overarching market trends coverage also extends to other types of companion animals including birds, small mammals and reptiles. This report provides data, insights and forecasts including product, format, nutrition, ingredient and benefit trends for indulgent treats, rawhide and other edible chews, functional treats, and dental treats and chews.


  • Executive Summary
    • Market Trends
      • Market Definition
      • Five Product Categories
      • Report Methodology
      • Market Size and Composition
      • Market Drivers
    • Competitive Trends
      • Competitive Overview
      • Market Leaders
      • Marketing Trends
      • The Retail Landscape
    • Marketing and New Product Trends
      • Treats and Chews Follow Pet Food Trends
      • Natural and Organic Treats
      • Humanization
      • Dental Treats and Chews
      • Functional Treats
      • Grain-Free Treats
      • Exotic Protein Treats Provide Variety, Allergy Relief
      • Special Diet Treats Target Pet Aging, Obesity, and Sizes
      • Limited Ingredient Diets
      • Raw Treats Part of the Raw Food Movement
      • Trends in Long-Lasting Edible Chews
      • Novel Formats
      • Trends in Cat Treats
    • Consumer Trends
      • Treats and Chews Second Only to Food Among Purchases
      • Dog Owners Out-Purchase Cat Owners Across All Treat/Chew Types
      • Mixed Patterns for Specialty Formulations
      • Usage Patterns by Shape and Type
      • Purchasing Patterns by Targeted Health Formulation
      • Treat Purchases More Impulse Purchase Than Other Products
      • Dog Ownership Growth Means More Treat-Buying Households
      • Overall Demographics of Dog and Cat Treat Purchasers
      • Purchasing Patterns for Dog Treat Brands
      • Purchasing Patterns for Cat Treat Brands
    • Insights and Opportunities
      • Opportunity 1—Marketing on product healthfulness and safety
      • Opportunity 2—Providing "multi-functional" products
      • Opportunity 3—Focusing on transparency and "clean label" products
      • Opportunity 4—Taking advantage of e-commerce boom
      • Opportunity 5— Moving beyond the "impulse" purchase
      • Opportunity 6—Promoting sustainability and corporate responsibility
  • Market Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Introduction
      • Market Definition
      • Five Product Categories
      • Other Marketing Classifications
      • Report Methodology
    • Market Size and Composition
      • U.S. Retail Sales Recover Momentum
        • Table U.S. Retail Sales of Pet Treats and Chews, 2012-2017 (in millions)
      • Sales by Distribution Channel
        • Table Share of U.S. Retail Sales of Pet Treats and Chews by Channel, 2017 (percent)
        • Table Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Products in the Natural Supermarket Channel by Category and Segment, March 2016 vs. March 2017 (in millions of dollars)
        • Table Retail Dollar Sales of Pet Products in the Specialty/Gourmet Supermarket Channel by Category and Segment, March 2016 vs. March 2017 (in millions of dollars)
    • Market Drivers
      • Treats and Chews Serve Many Functions
      • Treats Market Still on Alert from Recalls
      • Safety and Transparency Top List of Concerns
      • Pets as Family
      • Health and Wellness Trend Driven by Humanization, Millennials
        • Table Level of Agreement with Statement: "I am willing to pay more for pet food products that are healthier for my pets," by Age Bracket, 2017 (percent)
        • Table Percent of Pet Owners Purchasing Condition-Specific Functional Pet Treats Who Are Using Additional Treatment Options, 2017 (percent)
    • Pet Market Macrotrends
      • E-Commerce Impacting Entire Pet Industry
      • Superpremium Diluted by Mainstream Imitators
      • Small Dogs Rule, But Medium Sizes Rebound
        • Table Size of Pet Dogs, 2012-2017 (percent)
        • Table Size of Most Recently Acquired Pet Dog, 2014-2017 (percent)
      • Weighty Issues
    • Looking Ahead
      • Steady Sales Gains through 2021
        • Table U.S. Retail Sales of Pet Treats and Chews, 2016-2021 (in millions)
  • Competitive Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Competitive Overview
      • Market Structure and Retail Dynamics
      • M&A and Investment Activity
      • Expansions and Rebranding Efforts
      • Legal Action
    • Market Leaders
      • Mass market Treat Sales Controlled by Big Three
      • Top Brands in Pet Specialty
      • Brand Loyalty
    • Marketing Trends
      • Growing Demand for Clean Label Products
      • Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility, and "Green" Practices
        • Table Level of Agreement with Statement: "The participation by pet product retailers in pet welfare and rescue causes and events plays a significant role in where I buy pet products," 2014-2017 (percent)
        • Table Level of Agreement with Statement: "The participation by pet product brands in pet welfare and rescue causes and events plays a significant role in which brands I buy," 2014-2017 (percent)
      • Noteworthy Videos Fuel Consumer Interest
    • The Retail Landscape
      • Private-Label Treats Holding Steady
      • Walmart, PetSmart and Supermarkets Lead in Treat Purchases
        • Table Retail Outlets for Pet Product Purchases: Pet Treats/Chews vs. Pet Food vs. Pet Supplies, 2017 (percent)
        • Table Mass Market Retail Outlets Shopped for Pet Supplies: Dog Treat and Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent of U.S. dog- or cat-treat purchasing households)
        • Table Pet Specialty Retail Outlets Shopped for Pet Supplies: Dog Treat and Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent of U.S. dog- or cat-treat purchasing households)
        • Table Retail Outlets Shopped by Dog Treat and Cat Treats Purchasers, Online, Veterinary Offices and Other Channels, 2017 (percent of U.S. dog- or cat-treat purchasing households)
      • Internet Sales Changing Pet Retail from Ground Up
        • Table Time Frame for Most Recent Online Purchase of Pet Products, 2012-2017 (percent of pet product purchasers)
        • Table Online Purchases of Pet Treats by Website, 2017 (percent of dog- or cat-treats purchasers)
  • Marketing & New Product Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Trends in Treats and Chews
      • Treats and Chews Follow Pet Food Trends
      • Natural and Organic Treats
      • Humanization
      • Dental Treats and Chews
      • Functional Treats
      • Grain-Free Treats
      • Exotic Protein Treats Provide Variety, Allergy Relief
      • Special Diet Treats Target Pet Aging, Obesity, and Sizes
      • Limited Ingredient Diets
      • Raw Treats Part of the Raw Food Movement
      • Trends in Long-Lasting Edible Chews
      • Novel Formats
      • Trends in Cat Treats
  • Consumer Trends
    • Chapter Highlights
    • Overview of Purchasing Patterns
      • Treats and Chews Second Only to Food Among Purchases
        • Table Pet Products Purchased in Last 30 Days or Last 12 Months: Dog Owners vs. Cat Owners, 2017 (percent)
      • Dog Owners Out-Purchase Cat Owners Across All Treat/Chew Types
      • Mixed Patterns for Specialty Formulations
      • Usage Patterns by Shape and Type
      • Usage Patterns by Size of Dog
      • Purchasing Patterns by Targeted Health Formulation
        • Table Health/Wellness Concerns Addressed by Treats/Chews: Dog Owners vs. Cat Owners, 2017 (percent)
      • Treat Purchases More Impulse Purchase Than Other Products
      • Dog Ownership Growth Means More Treat-Buying Households
      • Treat Usage by Number of Pets
        • Table Household Purchasing Patterns for Pet Treats by Number of Dogs or Cats Owned, 2017 (number and percent of U.S. dog- or cat-owning households)
      • Overall Demographics of Dog and Cat Treat Purchasers
        • Table Demographic Indicators for Pet Treat Purchasing Households: Dog Owners vs. Cat Owners, 2017 (percent, index and number)
    • Purchasing Patterns for Dog Treat Brands
      • Milk-Bone and Beggin' Line Vie for Top Spot
        • Table Usage Rates for Leading Dog Treat Brand Lines, 2017 (percent of dog-owning households)
        • Table Usage Rates for Selected Dog Treat Brand Lines, 2017 (percent of dog treat purchasers)
      • Pedigree Dentastix, Beggin' Strips Lead in Customer Base Growth
        • Table Consumer Base for Leading Dog Treat Brand Lines, 2009 vs. 2013 vs. 2017 (number of households in thousands)
      • Consumer Purchasing Patterns by Brand
        • Table Purchasing Indexes for Selected Leading Dog Treat Brand Lines: Single vs. Multiple Dog Owners, 2017 (index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Milk-Bone Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Select Indices of Beggin' Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Jerky Treat Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Pedigree Dentastix Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Alpo Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Pup-Peroni Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Store Brand Dog Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
    • Purchasing Patterns for Cat Treat Brands
      • Whiskas Temptations Leads in Share and Growth in Consumer Base
        • Table Usage Rates for Leading Cat Treat Brand Lines, 2017 (percent of cat-owning households)
        • Table Usage Rates for Selected Cat Treat Brand Lines, 2017 (percent of cat treat purchasers)
      • Brand Usage Growth Rates
        • Table Consumer Base for Leading Cat Treat Brand Lines, 2009 vs. 2013 vs. 2017 (number of households in thousands)
      • Consumer Purchasing Patterns by Brand
        • Table Purchasing Indexes for Selected Leading Cat Treat Brand Lines, Single vs. Multiple Cat Owners, 2017 (index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Temptations Brand Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Friskies Brand Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Meow Mix Brand Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)
        • Table Demographic Overview of Pounce Brand Cat Treat Purchasers, 2017 (percent and index)

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