Market Trends of U.S Pet Food Packaging Industry
This section covers the major market trends shaping the US Pet Food Packaging Market according to our research experts:
Increasing Pet Ownership across the Country to Drive the Growth of the Market.
- Pet ownership in the United States is increasing significantly, driving the demand for pet food packaging. According to the American Pet Products Association's (APPA) 2021-2022 Survey, pet ownership has increased from an estimated 67% of U.S. households that own a pet to an estimated 70%. Millennials were revealed to be the largest cohort of pet owners at 32%, followed closely by Boomers at 27% and Gen X at 24%. The percentage is up from 56% of the U.S. households back in 1988 when the first-year survey was conducted.
- Furthermore, the pet spending increased during the past year, with 35% of pet owners stating they spent more on their pet/pet supplies - including food, wellness-related products, and other pet care items - in the last 12 months than in the preceding year. Moreover, about 14% percent of survey respondents confirmed that they obtained a new pet during the pandemic.
- A growing number of retail stores are realizing the profit potential of pet products, with a few even establishing their private labels. For instance, In August 2021, Target launched its latest private label in the pet category, focusing on cat and dog food. Kindful includes more than 50 products ranging from wet and dry food to treats and toppers made with ingredients including poultry, pasture-raised beef, and fish caught through sustainable means.
- Moreover, the growth of the e-commerce industry in the United States has increased the penetration of pet food products in the country. For instance, according to APPA, about 60% of pet owners usually purchased pet products in person at brick-and-mortar stores before the pandemic. However, during the pandemic, in-person shopping dropped to 41%, aligning more closely with the 46% of pet owners who prefer to purchase online with purchases shipped to their homes. The increased outreach of packaged pet food products is expected to favor the growth of the packaging industry in this region during the forecast period.
Understand The Key Trends Shaping This Market
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Pouches to Hold a Significant Market Share
- Pouch demand is estimated to be bolstered by features that foster convenience for consumers, including zippered closure mechanisms and light reduced weight. On the other hand, pouches serve reduced transportation costs due to their lightweight for the pet food manufacturers.
- Stand-up pouches emerged as a top choice for pet treats (ideally for retail-shelf attention). With packaging vendors making pouches available in many configurations, stand-up pouches gather multiple graphics panels and create measurable lifts in the market studied.
- As technologies are evolving, the versatility and efficiency of packaging machines allow many different kinds of formats. Better digital and HD capabilities advances in graphics enable creative package designs in the pet food sector, resulting in eye-catching photos, graphics, and colors on various materials that can be produced cheaper.
- Furthermore, the actual recyclability has not been achieved fully for pouches. This accounts for significant concerns in the industry. This is driving the players operating in the market to innovate the material used for packaging to be in line with the market trends like this. For instance, in January 2021, ProAmpac announced the launch of patent-pending ProActive Recycle Ready Retort RT-3000 to meet the need for recycle-ready retort packaging. Explicitly made for pet and human food, RT-3000 pouches are offered in stand-up and three-side seal configurations. It is also EU and FDA compliant for food contact in retort applications.
