Pet supplement/vitamin sales grew by 10.5% to exceed $1 billion in 2022, according to a recently received report from Packaged Facts.
Although gains in 2022 were largely a function of price increases due to inflation, the market posted a robust compound annual growth rate of 10.9% over the 2017-2022 period, the market research firm found. The new report is called Pet Supplements in the U.S.
Dog owners purchase the majority of pet supplements. Packaged Facts estimated that dog products account for 77% of total pet supplement sales.
More from the release:
While health has been the paramount innovation and growth driver in the pet industry for decades, the COVID-19 pandemic spiked pet parent attention to pet health and wellness. The vast majority of pet owners agree that their pets contribute to their own mental and physical health, and these pet parents want to repay that benefit by keeping their pets healthy and happy for as long as possible.
Even as the threat of COVID-19 recedes, this heightened awareness of pet health has remained among pet owners: Packaged Facts’ February 2023 Survey of Pet Owners shows that two-thirds of pet owners look out for products to improve their pet’s health and wellness. Pet supplements can both support overall health in a preventive manner—with getting pets more preventative care especially a priority among Millennial pet parents—and target specific conditions, in most cases with fewer side effects than prescription medications.
The trend towards condition-specific pet supplements is nothing new, but an influx of new condition-specific formulations and product lines since 2022 highlights the leading role this type of product plays in the market. Hip & joint/bone health, allergy/skin & coat health, anxiety/stress, digestive/immunity health, and heart health are some of the top concerns for which pet owners seek out supplements, increasingly combining with CBD.
Condition-specific pet supplements lend themselves to another overarching pet market trend—customization and personalization—which has made inroads across pet nutritional products, including pet foods and treats. Long past the days of one-note dog biscuits, for example, the dog treats category in particular is now largely “functionalized” to address pet health concerns.
Over half of dog- and cat-owning households have senior pets (age 7+), which helps drive these functional, condition-specific, and customized trends. With pets living longer due to advances in veterinary care and heightened pet owner attention to pet health and wellness, growing numbers of aging dogs and cats are in need of immune response, heart health, and cognitive support, in addition to anti-inflammatory and pain management products.
More than any trendy ingredient, according to Packaged Facts pet market analyst Shannon Brown, “more enthusiasm over pet supplements among the veterinary community at large would boost sales to a much higher level.” While most veterinarians recommend a narrow range of pet supplement types and brands, only natural/holistic veterinarians do so regularly and broadly, including in the case of less mainstream remedies.
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