The key to pet food: nutritional value

The survey shows that while nearly 9 in 10 pet owners surveyed believe that pet food prices have risen in the last year, only 1 in 6 pet parents globally are choosing less expensive products or brands as a result. Most people stay loyal to the brand by choosing promotional offers or larger packages. In fact, price is less important when buying pet food than ingredient quality, nutritional value, taste and health claims. More than half of respondents are even willing to pay a premium for pet food containing scientifically proven health-promoting ingredients.

Pet parents are very concerned about the health of their pets, and the survey results reflect this, with more than four-fifths of pet owners believing that their pet's health is as important as their own. Pet owners are also more widely aware of the link between their pet's digestive health and overall health. It's no surprise, then, that the claims on packaging most likely to influence pet food purchasing decisions include "naturally promotes digestive health" and "easy to digest."

The majority of pet owners choose to promote their pet's digestive health in a positive, natural way, and more than one-third of pet owners say they give their pets food with features that support digestive health, demonstrating the importance of highlighting specific benefits on pet food packaging. Additionally, nearly half of pet owners associate prebiotics with their pet's gut health, suggesting the potential that prebiotics will bring to the pet food market.

In China, official data disclosed by the pet healthcare industry in 2022 showed that digestive disorders were the most prominent reason for pet dogs and cats to visit the clinic.3 As a result, there is a growing interest in ingredients such as prebiotics and probiotics among pet owners in China. In addition, prebiotics and probiotics can also play a role in the pet's mood, immunity, weight and other aspects, and can be used in pet food, nutritional supplements, pet snacks and other products4.