Consumer trends mean new opportunities for pet food producers
The global pandemic affected virtually every part of our daily lives. In some cases, it led to changes that will have a lasting impact.
A few of those changes — including shifts in consumer preferences, increased reliance on e-commerce, and a greater focus on climate responsibility and sustainability — are of special interest to pet food producers, who are responding by making some changes of their own.
New products. New packaging. A new way doing business, with a renewed focus on consumer wants and needs. For pet food producers, the challenges of the pandemic are revealing opportunities to recover and grow.
Prime time for pets
As difficult as it was for most of us humans, it’s safe to say the switch to a stay-at-home lifestyle worked out pretty well for pets. They not only got to spend more time with their owners, but also benefited from owners’ increased focus on their wants and needs.
Lauryn Lueken, Marketing Analyst at Tetra Pak, says the pandemic has reshaped consumers’ buying preferences when it comes to their pets. “Consumers are looking for more sustainable products,” Lueken said. “They’re paying more attention to not only what they put in their bodies, but their pets’ bodies as well. They’re more concerned about the climate.” “Consumers are more conscious than ever of the pet products they buy and what the brands stand for.”
Focus on quality
As a result, pet owners have been spending more money on their pets during the pandemic, with much of it going to premium pet food.
Blaine Johnson, Key Account Director at Tetra Pak, says premium foods deserve a premium package. “We’re seeing brands and consumers moving away from some of the lower-quality pet foods that have been in the marketplace,” Johnson said. “If they’re going to invest the time and money to launch a higher-tier type of product, they want a better solution.”
Less is more
Lueken points to the Tetra Recart® 100 Mini as a prime example of a product that checks a lot of boxes on consumers’ wish lists, including the need for smaller portion sizes. “Overall we’ve seen this downsizing trend with people having smaller households, and along with that comes smaller pets,” Lueken said. “So the Tetra Recart 100 Mini really fits in with this new lifestyle.”
That less-is-more approach pays dividends for the climate as well. The average CO2 emissions for a Tetra Recart® package is up to 72% less compared to a can and up to 20% less than a pouch.* “It’s lightweight, so it saves on shipping, which helps cut emissions,” Lueken said. It’s a package that grows back. It’s sustainably sourced by the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council).”
With consumers making more and more of their everyday purchases online, affordable shipping is more important than ever.
“If 2020 showed us anything, it’s that the demand for e-commerce is on the rise and here to stay,” Lueken said. “The convenience that’s driving demand among pet parents is just going to keep growing.”
* Exact magnitude and significance of lower climate impact depends on various factors such as region, segment, Tetra Recart format, alternative packaging, and end-of-life allocation. Please consult the available LCA summary material for details before approaching customers on the climate benefits of Tetra Recart.
