Alongside pet adoption, niche pet product sales skyrocket during the pandemic

Differentiate your brand with stand-out packaging and print collateral for hot pet products

​We can all agree on the winner of this pandemic -- pets.
K9 Magazine reports that “Covid-19 surged the trend for pet ownership with 12% adults with children under the age of 18, adopting pets because of the pandemic, compared with 8% of all adults. 

Additionally, 10% of cat owners and 9% of dog owners in the United States said they adopted a pet because of COVID-19 implications, with 10% of all pet owners acquiring pets” between November 2020 and January 2021.

Not only is pet ownership surging, but the demographics of pet owners are evolving, along with their preferences.

Today’s pet owners, especially Millennials and younger, don’t want to be owners at all! They prefer the term “pet parents,” and see their pets as “fur babies.” As pets draw closer to the family core, the market for healthy, high-quality products is on the rise.

Say Caio to Pet Chow
Done are the days of choosing between a few behemoth pet food brands. Today’s consumer is looking for healthy alternatives -- raw meat, organic produce and antioxidants. One study even showed that most pet owners reported giving equal (53.1%) or more priority (43.6%) to buying healthy food for their pets compared with themselves, but they have significant difficulty determining the best choices. The packaging for these products needs to display those “hero” ingredients prominently on the front as differentiators. And if the eats are lovely to look at, pet food companies should consider putting a well-placed window on the front of the box or bag so that buyers can see the tasty treats for themselves. When including healthy and organic foods, be sure to include colors and images from nature to drive home the message. Of course, it never hurts to feature a pet with gleaming hair and teeth prominently.
 
Pet Supplements Skyrocket
Anything a human will take to feel better and look great, pet parents will consider for their fur babies. The global pet supplements market is projected to reach $1.05 billion by 2027, according to a 2020 report by Grand View Research. The pet nutraceuticals space will become highly competitive, and packaging design will be paramount to differentiation. Boxes and labels should prominently display the key ingredient and, more importantly, highlight the ailment treated or the main benefit such as urinary tract health, clean teeth or joint mobility. Consumers’ increasing awareness of pet health drives this trend, and package engineering for human supplements can be a model for the pet market.
 
Build Brand Loyalty with Signage and Displays
Pet owners are notoriously brand loyal. If a food, toy, or vitamin helps their pet live its best life, pet parents will return again and again to the product and the store that sells it. Pull together vibrant and interactive retail displays that highlight the brand’s differentiators and include QR codes for customers to get more information, hop on mailing lists and sign up for samples of new products. When you create product kits with an experienced printer like Carlson Print Group, be sure to include mini-packages of your foods, treats, supplements and even toys for pets to pocket. If their fur baby loves it, you will hear from them again. Consider including grab-able print products like postcards and stickers or even compostable dog waste bags with your logo on them. Click here for eye-catching and effective pet product display ideas.
 
We’ve got a lot to bark about at Carlson Print Group. Call or click today to elevate your pet product packaging plan.