Market Overview

The total pet business market in FY2021 was on an uptrend that continued since FY2020, with the size estimated as 1,718,700 million yen, 101.8% on a year-over-year basis, based on the retail amount (end-user price). According to Japan Pet Food Association, the number of pets has been slowing down, although it is the basis of pet business market. On the other hand, high-added price to the products by each market players and product releases for cats have increased the sales.

Traditional pet owners already had a tendency of choosing premium-oriented pet food, and this tendency became stronger amid the coronavirus crisis, when people had to stay home and spent longer hours with pets, which led people to wish for the pets to have better food as possible and wish for more communications with pets. The market size for FY2022 is projected to reach 1,754,200 million yen, 102.1% on a YoY basis.

Noteworthy Topics

Due to Higher Health Consciousness, Premium Pet Food Market both for Dogs and Cats, and Pet Treats Expanded

The market growth is caused by higher health consciousness by pet owners, represented by choosing premium pet food.

Expansion in demand for cat food has been conspicuous, which led the cat food market to exceed the size of dog food market in FY2017. Dog food has been leveling off in terms of amount-based market size, due to decrease in the number of dogs kept.

Expanding demand for premium dog food at high price ranges has led the amount-based market to level off, covering the loss of the market size by volume. Higher health consciousness has diversified and broken down the product types and objectives, such as different products offered according to dog age, dog breed, dog size, symptom, and for health objectives, etc. Steadfast demand for pet treats is observed as a tool to communicate with dogs, with the market size on a slight uptrend, even though the number of dogs kept is declining.

Popularity of cats and increasing numbers of cat owners in recent years have encouraged pet food manufacturers to release new products and retailers to expand the floors for cat supplies, which grew the cat food market. Lately, higher health consciousness by cat owners has driven many companies to develop cat food for feline lower urinary tract disease that cats often suffer from. Pet treats remain to be on an expansion, as each food manufacturer releasing wet-type treats for cats, invigorating the market.

Future Outlook

Lingering coronavirus calamity has increased the pet supply demand at home, such as pet consumer goods for manners and excretion like pet diapers and pet mess cleaning kits, and health care and dental care tools used by pet owners for their pets. The market is projected to be on the rise for the future.

The tendency of being premium oriented (to prefer high value-added products) by pet owners has become stronger year by year when choosing pet food. The background of this is the influence of coronavirus that forced people to stay home, which made them to spend less for traveling and dining out, and made pet owners willing to pay for better quality food for their pets. Another reason is because of those pet owners who are conscious of pet diseases, as they have become enlightened by each pet food manufacturer.

Given these factors, the total pet business market is projected to expand even after FY2022.

Research Outline