(PRESS RELEASE)ROCKVILLE, MD — The coronavirus pandemic has elevated to new heights concerns over pet health and wellness, with the constant spotlight on disease and prevention causing Americans to embrace myriad strategies to keep pets healthy. Market research firm Packaged Facts’ November/December 2020 Survey of Pet Owners, which is featured in the new report Pet Supplements in the U.S., 8th Edition, shows that 41% of pet owners are paying closer attention to their pets’ health and wellness because of COVID-19, with 14% changing the health care products they buy their pets.
The end result has been a boon to the pet supplements industry. Packaged Facts estimates that pet supplement sales skyrocketed 21% in 2020 to reach nearly $800 million, quadrupling the rate of growth seen in 2019.
“Interest in pet supplements has risen across the board, but condition-specific formulations directly related to COVID-19 concerns, such as those boosting the immune system and offering stress-reducing or anxiety-reducing benefits, have seen demand soar,” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts.
Pets anxiety can be brought on by changing habits and schedules, causing pets to exhibit a range of undesirable behaviors and problems for pet owners attempting to work from home. Additionally, although the influx of new pets into households has been a welcome distraction for many, new pets can become stressed out while attempting to acclimate to their new environments.
This state of affairs is occurring at the same time as the mainstreaming of CBD products, which are perhaps most famous for their anxiety-reducing properties. CBD is also said to provide anti-inflammatory benefits and aid in immune system regulation, additional spot-on areas of interest in COVID-19 era. Other immune-building supplements often feature probiotics — a cross-over from human supplements that continues to gain momentum in the pet market.