U.S. pet ownership reaches all-time high, APPA says

An estimated 70% of U.S. households own a pet, setting an all-time high, according to the American Pet Products Association’s forthcoming “National Pet Owners Survey” for 2021-2022.

Spending on pet food and supplies has increased in the past year, with 35% of pet owners saying they spent more on their pet in the last year than they did the previous year, APPA president and CEO Steve King wrote in Pet Business.

Online shopping increased to 86% of total pet owners, up from 72% in the association’s prior study. This is not surprising, King said. But, he added, “the survey also sheds light on the resilience of local brick-and-mortar, as pet owners continue to frequent their local pet stores, reinforcing the sense of community and familiarity local retailers bring.”

Packaged Facts also reported an increase in online pet product sales. According to the market research firm’s outlook for 2021-2022, e-commerce accounts for 30% of pet product sales, up from only 8% in 2015. While brick-and-mortar stores like Walmart, PetSmart and Petco are taking substantial shares of online sales, Amazon and Chewy dominate.