Purina has revealed eight trends that will impact the future of pet care as part of its newly released ‘3rd Purina in Society Report’, which also details emerging challenges for the pet care industry.
Key findings in the report have been identified on the basis of more than 100 interviews with vets, media, sector leaders, Purina partners and opinion leaders.
The report also showcases Purina’s progress on its commitment to have a positive impact on the lives of pets, people and the planet, including the launch of 30 new products, support for the adoption of 98,731 pets, reaching 94% deforestation-free soya and 78% of packaging designed to be recyclable.
Future trends identified predict consumer demand for alternative proteins and personalised products – and the demand for ingredients transparency is also expected to grow.
The eight trends are:
> Increase of pet ownership – recently published Euromonitor figures show an acceleration in pet acquisition across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, compared to 2019 where pet population growth was 3m. 2020 saw the total pet population grow by 5.1m across the region – representing an incremental growth of 70%.
> Changes to the future of work as a result of the recent requirement for remote working.
> Shift to e-commerce – historic share gains for e-commerce were amplified last year as shoppers looked to socially distance.
> Growing preference for alternative ingredients and proteins – declining natural resources on a global scale put pressure on reducing consumption or finding alternative sources. Moreover, as millennial pet parents treat their dogs and cats like a member of the family, more dogs are now consuming flexitarian diets.
> Continued demand for more natural food driven by both health and animal welfare concerns.
> Elevated understanding of the societal impact of pet ownership and the opportunity to positively affect human health, education and communities.
> Seamless, AI-enabled and optimised solutions including personalised nutrition – people are turning to intelligent ways of managing their lives through digital technology, powered by big data, AI and predictive intelligence. As tech fuels better consumer experiences and new services in other areas of their lives, people’s expectations for seamless, customised and enjoyable products and experiences in pet care will become heightened.
> New demands for corporate transparency – Consumers want to be able to assess the environmental impacts of their purchasing decisions including environmental impacts and animal welfare in the value chain; ingredient transparency.
CHALLENGES
Six challenges are also identified in the report, including supply chain resilience in the face of the pandemic, inequitable access to affordable pet care products, scarcity of ingredients while protecting the planet, the Nestle Group’s own commitment to net zero, environmental impacts of sourcing and packaging and continued technology-driven transformation of the economy and human-animal lifestyles.
Calum Macrae, regional MD for Purina UK & Ireland said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we have managed to achieve in both the UK and Ireland, particularly through our charity partnerships, which became more important than ever during the pandemic.
“Covid-19 has brought us all many challenges over the past year but what has become clear is that the role of the pet-human bond has never been stronger, with more and more people choosing to own a pet. This is a trend that looks set to continue and we will continue to champion the vital role pets have to play – we want to work to create a resilient future for pets, our planet and the communities where we operate.”
