POTENTIAL & PROSPECTS OF PETCARE SECTOR IN INDIA.
Compiled, & shared by-DR. RAJESH KUMAR SINGH, (LIVESTOCK & POULTRY CONSULTANT), JAMSHEDPUR Post no 1408 Dt 21/09//2019
JHARKHAND,INDIA 9431309542, rajeshsinghvet@gmail.com
&
DR Kris Ravvi Kumar ,EX-DITECTOR,CPDO(NR)
With the diversity and power of pets, the pet care industry is growing dynamically and closely following the movements, also the development of human living environment and quality. The demand of pet care keeps increasing caused by the growing number of pets, the attitude of how pet owners treat their pets and the fast-changing of technology implication. From essential to dispensable, a variety of components construct the pet care Industry and make this industry become hundred-billion valued business worldwide. The primary component in pet care industry is dog and cat food. Dog and cat food products own approximate 69 percent of the overall pet care market size in retail value in 2016, according to Euromonitor. In addition, another elementary component of pet care is the pet products. From the source of the secondary data collected by Euromonitor International, pet products refer to merchandises that not counted as food, feeds or treats and also included the pet healthcare service and pet dietary supplements. For the category of pet products, it has $28.3 billion US dollar in retail value over the world in 2016, which has around 27 percent of the total market size for retail value. Nevertheless, in this study, pet healthcare service same as the veterinary service is excluded in the category of pet product, as it is included in the category of pet service.
There are myriad options for business in the pet industry. The options just keep growing day by day as people come up with new ideas and ways to shower love on their pets. Given below are some of the areas of businesses where the pet industry is expanding currently –
Pet food——–
Food is a nutritious substance that eaten by human or animal for maintains growth and life through absorption. It is the basic requirement for every pet to have pet food, the food that designed or chosen for each of them, in order to support every pet’s life. Hence, the growth of pet ownership is affecting the demand for pet food positively. In the category of food, it is not just multiplex in humans’ world but also in pets’ food. There are different kinds of pet food, for examples, dry food, wet food, canned food, treats, fresh vegetable or meat, etc. According to the statistics , dry food are more popular for dogs’ feed, on the other hand, wet food has more demand for cats’ feed. For snacks, dog treats and mixers are the most demanding in the world market. For other pet food, small mammal or reptile food have the highest demand and then the fish food and the bird food in descending way. In addition, not all of the pet owners purchase pet food, some of them may feed pets with table scraps or home-made pet food.
Traditionally, pet care companies dominate the pet food market by establishing various brands for targeting different pet owners’ favorite and also needs of the pet. Nonetheless, an increasing number of pet food consumers seek premium pet food and part of the consumers are finding ‘raw’, ‘human grade’, ‘hypoallergenic’, ‘grain free’ pet food for their pets due to the humanization trend of pet. Some of the new pet food retailers are holding a successful business for holistic, high quality and natural pet food purveyor. An example from the U.S., Memphis, Tennessee, the Hollywood Feed, is a chain of pet superstores in Southeast, expanding with selling natural pet food for consumers. Additionally, the leading pet care companies are manufacturing ‘on-diet’ pet food for targeting the needs of obese pets, while providing more premium and organic, raw pet food for maintaining the market leads. Furthermore, more private labels of pet food and artisanal pet treats are entering the pet food market recently.
Pet food is the fastest growing segment when it comes to pet products. Dogs get to choose from a variety of branded food and snacks these days. Venky’s India sells four different varieties of dog meals while Mars Food sells special rice and cottage cheese dishes for vegetarian dogs.
Pet Salons-
Pet salons can be started with a low investment of 3-5 lakhs that includes the cost of training, shop rent, equipments and products. Pet salons provide services like hair cuts, nail trimming, tick and flea treatments, oil massages and some fancy services like party dressing and hair coloring.
Pet Magazines-
Pet owners are always on a lookout for good quality information on pet care and pet health. These needs are fulfilled by pet magazines like “Woof” and “Dogs and pups”.
Pets that are well taken care of are more likely to be healthy and happy. A happy pet keeps his owner happy. Everything that comes for free is priceless. The emotional value of a pet, the unconditional love they provide us is priceless yet precious and no amount of money can replace that. I feel pets truly deserve to be pampered like a prince or princess. The growth of pet industry is also providing large number of job opportunities apart from contributing to the country’s revenue.
Pet Products and Services———-
Pet products are referring the equipment for a pet, pet cleaning products, pet toys, pet accessories, pet dietary supplements and pet medical care products. Bed, bedding, cage, food bowl and water bowl are the essential equipment for a pet to sleep, eat and drink for maintaining the living. And for the carrier, collar and identity tag, these are the products that used on cats and dogs usually. The carrier could be used for visiting the veterinary clinic or taking transportation. Collar and identity tag are having for identification and leash is a tool for controlling dog during walk. Pet toys and accessories are designed for pet’s entertainment and increasing the interactions between pet owners and pets. Pet owners can gain satisfaction through playing with their pets and by dressing them. Although toys and accessories are not essential pet products, the demand for these products keeps increasing caused by the humanization of pets.
Due to Urbanization, more pets having longer time staying at indoors or at home because of the owners’ working routine. And more and more pet owners spoil their pets, for example, feeding them treats with exceeding amount. Hence, pet obesity becomes a highlight of pet care and many related goods and services are provided in the market. Pet diet supplements are prevalent as more pet owners concern their pets’ health problems or issues. Similarly, pet gadgets such as the fitness trackers are invented for health-oriented pet owners or monitoring the health and wellbeing of their porky pets. Some other technological pet gadgets are designed to fulfill the needs of pet owners. An interactive camera that can allow pet owners to monitor their pets at home and pets could see or listen to their owners through the camera. Some advanced pet interactive cameras have more functions for interaction, for example, to give treats by pressing a button. Moreover, the other hit product in pet care industry is pet insurance due to the rising awareness of expensive veterinary health care.
For pet service, veterinary service is the core pet service among years; while pet grooming and training are wanted by the pet owners who are willing to spend more money on their pets in recent years. Veterinary plays an important role in pet healthcare. Pets are brought to veterinary clinics for medical checking or treatment, get pets vaccinated and microchipped, surgery, etc. Every responsible pet owner should offer their pets the right of having veterinary treatment when they are sick or needed for medical help. For pet grooming service, apart from hair brushing and coat grooming, there is a list of grooming treatment services are provided, such as pet nails care, spa treatment, styling service, bathing, cleaning ears, etc. Pet owners may want to take pet grooming services for related professions if they do not know how to groom or to take care of their pets in grooming. Training pets require skills and time, same as the grooming service, pet owners may want professionals to help them to train their pets. Pet training consists of several types: behavioral training, obeying orders, fitting training, etc. The pet training that is mentioned are usually referring dogs and not for working training, simply a decision of pet owners to have or not to have this service. Moreover, due to the trend of pet humanization, pet sitting is a trendy pet care service that is provided by the market. Many pet owners have long working hours and they may not able to take their pet for walking for looking after their pets when they are busy. Therefore, some of the pet owners would send their pets to pet sitting, in order to keep their pets in good care during the separation between the pets and pet owners. Pet adoption is encouraged to every pet owner or potential pet owner. However, some pet owners are having their ideas of owning a pedigreed pet or non-pedigreed pet and in particular species because of personal interest. Thus, these pet owners might need to find a legal breeder to purchase their desired pets. Additionally, in some developed countries, such as the United Kingdom, there are few pet supreme shows organized by breeders. These showing events are opportunities for breeders to reach their consumers and also a chance for pet owners to get to know more about the breeders and different species of pets.
Furthermore, the well-developed worldwide transportation network helps to create pet services, for instance, the pet traveling services. Increasing number of wealthy pet owners want to bring their pets to travel along or immigrate with them as the pets are a part of the family. Because of this, many transportations are allowing pet owners to bring along pets for the journey, such as certain public transportations, airlines, cruises, etc. More accommodations, restaurants, and malls are pet-friendly by permitting pets to stay or enter, some of them may provide facilities and equipment specifically for the pets. However not all transportations, accommodations, restaurants and malls welcome pets; alternatively, for those which are pet – friendly, would have a greater opportunity for pet owners to use their service while their pets are being along with. Besides, there is another pet service that becomes more popular in a few years caused by the humanization of pet, that is the pet bereavement support or service. Pets in poor health condition would visit veterinary for treatment and vet and pet owners have to make a decision about euthanasia; on the other side, the old pets would pass way naturally. To memorialize the past way pets, pet owners may want to arrange a funeral for their pets and to set a grave for them. Even some professional bereavement service could offer services, such as making a memorable memento which contains the pet’s DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) for pet owners to keep. Uprising numbers of humanized pet services are provided in pet care industry at present. And different countries have their pet services framework and distinct environment for pet services. Therefore, the pet services that mentioned above are some general and recently pet services that might not be the same case in every country.
PET CARE MARKET IN INDIA
With Indians welcoming more “paw” buddies, the pet care industry too has seen unprecedented growth and has left no stone unturned in meeting the expectations of new “paw” parents.
India’s pet care sector already pegged at more than Rs. 81 billion is expected to grow at over 35% every year as passionate pet lovers explore myriad business opportunities in this sector.
Asia’s 3rd largest economy continues to register strong economic growth despite certain challenges. And, country’s GDP is expected to grow over 6.2% in 2019 as well. IMF forecast for the Indian economy for 2019 and beyond is much better owing to stable government and policy reforms, which will improve the business sentiments and benefit different industries including the country’s pet care market.
India pet care market continues to record double-digit value growth on the back of pet humanization coupled with growing disposable income. Country’s pet care industry, driven by strong Dog food sales advanced with a value CAGR of over 21% during 2013-18. Dog food category accounts for the highest value share while other pet products like pet toys, pet accessories, etc. also saw strong value CAGR growth of over 19% during the review period of 2013-18.
Pet ownership of dogs and other pets in India has increased substantially over the past decade owing to change in the urban lifestyle and rising number of nuclear families. This has helped pet care market considerably. High growth potential has attracted more investments and many pet startups like Dogspot, Heads Up for Tails, Nimble Wireless have come up over the years. Pet food manufacturers are offering more natural products that are gluten-free and GMO free with increased health benefits like dog food with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for healthy skin, probiotics in dry formula to help maintain digestive health, glucosamine for healthy joints and strong bones, and vitamins and minerals for complete and balanced nutrition of dogs.
As far as the competitive landscape is concerned, Mars International continues to remain market leader followed by Royal Canin as both are well established as pet care companies, having a strong brand recognition and credibility among Indian pet parents. Mars, Royal Canin, and Indian Broiler Group, the top three players account for over 65% value market share. India Pet Care report elaborates the following aspects of the pet care market in the country.
Reports reveal that India is the fastest growing pet care market in the world. Urbanization, rise in nuclear families, changing perceptions towards pets and pet ownership are driving the growth. Pet care market in India was valued at $265 million (₹ 1700 million) in 2017 and is expected to grow at 13.9% annually to become a $430 million (₹ 2780 million) market by 2020.
With estimated 19 million pets, and 600,000 pets being adopted every year, the pet food industry in India shows huge potential. There is an increasing awareness about pet nutrition and pet owners are becoming more conscious about the products they buy. Growth is recorded in all categories including pet food, pet pharmaceuticals, grooming, toys and accessories while pet food market is projected to cross $310 million (₹ 2000 million) by 2020. In India, dogs are more popular pets than cats, birds, fish, etc. Dog food segment is expected to continue its dominance as the largest revenue contributor, followed by cat and fish food segments.
Pet owners are now focusing more on essential food products that enhance the health and wellbeing of pets. In line with this trend, pet care brands are introducing different specialised pet food products that are rich in vitamins, thereby ensuring a high-quality diet for pets. In addition, pet owners are no longer restricting themselves to just buying food for their pets but are now focusing on the overall development of their pets and providing the best environment for their pets.
As the pet care markets in Europe and North America are heading towards saturation, Asia (with potential markets like India) is witnessing the entry of major international pet care brands. More number of Indian brands are rising to the occasion and focusing on domestic, Asian market and international markets. Market expansion will depend on the ability of companies to devise effective marketing strategies to attract first-time consumers to the market.
INDIA PET FOOD MARKET – GROWTH, TRENDS AND FORECAST (2019-2024)
India Pet Food Market is segmented by product into dry pet food, wet pet food, veterinary diet, treat/snack, liquid food and organic product, by pricing into economic, premium and super-premium segment, by animal type into dog,cat,bird and other animals, by ingredient type into animal-derived, plant-derived, cereals and cereal derivatives and other ingredient types and by sales channel into specialised pet shops, internet sales, hypermarket and other sales channel.
Market Overview
The India pet food market was valued at USD 334.3 million and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 13.9% during the forecast period (2019-2024).The concept of owing pets and taking care of them is a very urban phenomenon in India. The growth of the market therefore is largely dependent on the pace of urbanization; the infrastructure changes of the past two decades signal a very positive and rapid movement here. The initial impasse of the Indian consumer over spending on pets is slowly giving way to the feeling of pet humanization and sensitization, trends well demonstrated by the rapid rise in adoption rates. Therefore, increasing concern for pet health and nutrition is acting as a major driver behind the growth of the market.
Scope of the Report
The pet food market is segmented by animal type (dogs, cats, birds, and other animal types), product type (dry pet food, wet pet food, veterinary diets, treats/snacks, and organic products), ingredient type (animal-derived, plant-derived, cereals and cereal derivatives, and other ingredient types), sales channel (specialized pet shops, internet sales, hypermarkets, and other sales channels) and pricing type (economic segment, premium segment, and super-premium segment). The nation is characterized with a monetarily strong middle class, making the economic pricing segment an important revenue generator. Super markets are the leading outlets for pet food but the trend is expected to shift to specialist stores in the future.
Product
Dry Pet Food
Grain Free
Others
Wet Pet Foods
Grain Free
Others
Veterinary Diet
Treat/Snack
Liquid Food
Organic Product
Pricing
Economic Segment
Premium Segment
Super Premium Segment
Animal Type
Dog
Cat
Bird
Others
Ingredient Type
Animal-derived
Plant-derived
Cereal and Cereal Derivative
Others
Sales Channels
Specialized Pet Shop
Internet Sale
Hypermarket
Others
Key Market Trends
The market is segmented by Animal Type
The Indian pet food market has been segmented by animal type into dog, cat, bird, and others. Dog food is going to be the largest and the fastest-growing segment during the forecast period. The increasing trend of adopting companion animals is due to urbanization; busy lifestyle is the other major driving factor for the dog food segment. Snack/treat is the fastest-growing segment in the dog food segment. Bird and small animal food is the opportunity segment in the market. Government programs aimed at encouraging pet adoption are resulting in the rising pet adoption rates for dogs and Cats.Rising health concern over animals and high investment on their foods and health are driving the pet food market. Dogs and Cats together contribute to over 80% of share in the consumption of pet foods. Dogs are the major consumers and are expected to grow at a higher rate during the forecast period.
Dog Food captures the market
Dogs adopt traditional eating habits, such as meat, non-meat scraps, leftovers of human existence, etc. However, these unhygienic foods led to allergic reaction in pets. Health concern for animals and pet humanization have created an opportunity for pet food.The dog is an omnivore. The major raw materials used in dog feed are feed grade ingredients and additives. Commercial dog food comes in the dry form or a wet canned form. The difference between two forms is the moisture content. Dry dog pet food contains 6–10% moisture by volume, as compared to 60–90% in canned food. Dry dog pet food is the biggest and fastest growing segment mainly due to the convenience of storage and low price.
Competitive Landscape
Mars International continues to lead the cat food segment. Its flagship brand Whiskas continued to enjoy high levels of popularity among existing consumers and also among new consumers, who were shifting from home-cooked food to packaged cat food. Mars International was followed by Royal Canin which competes with a premium positioning.Demand for Pedigree and Royal Canin is largely supported by the strong consumer base and wide distribution networks.
Major Players
1. Mars Inc.
2. Nutriara Alimentos Ltda
3. Royal Canin India
4. Pedigree
5. Eukanuba
Facts – Pet Care industry in India
• People in US have spent $60 billion on pets in 2015
• In 2016 it went up to $62.75 billion
• The pet care market in India is expected to increase by 20% from 2017-2021
• Pet care market in India is expected to be $270 million by 2019
• In India, Mars International India Pvt Ltd(Pedigree) is the market leader with close to 70% market share
Growing Awareness about Specialized Pet Food Diet
Pet parents are now more conscious of the kind of products they buy. Thereby, an increasing number of pet owners are demanding natural pet products across all categories. Manufacturers have also been ushering different specialized products in pet food in order to keep up with this trend. Newer pet products which are nowadays coming into the market are claiming to be gluten-free, GMO-free & rich in high-quality vitamins. The list of these types of specialized food products for pets is growing by the day. Aided by dietary recommendation by vets, there is a significant rise in the number of pet parents for such foods. Therefore, demand for such pet food products is expected to rise further in the days to come. Pets are not just companions in India; quite often they are a style statement for pet owners.
Growing Demand for Ancillary Pet Products
The growth of the pet care market is largely determined by the evolving mindset of pet owners. Pet parents now are more focused on the overall development of their pets & are therefore willing to go an extra mile than to restrict buying just food. More & more people are also interested in buying foreign & expensive breeds. They are also willing to spend on other pet products in order to give a good environment for their pets. This has triggered the opening of newer pet services like salons & spas. Affluent & sophisticated pet owners thrilled by the trend & are looking for premium shampoos & conditioners to pamper their pets.
Increasing Brand Presence in Pet Stores
Royal Canin & Mars International continues to dominate the Indian pet care market. Brands like Pedigree also continue to enjoy presence across retail formats. Additionally, these companies have also been expanding their presence into small cities & towns. Other brands which are increasingly getting popular are Arden Grange, Hill’s Science Diet & Farmina. They are also rapidly increasing their brand visibility across leading pet shops & stores by offering wide options to pet parents. Scientific Remedies is a small brand in India which is strategically focusing on niche therapeutic segments by offering a wide range of pet products focused on the specific needs of pets.
Future Prospects of the Indian Pet Care Market
Forecast for the pet care industry in India is positive. Increasing awareness among pet parents looking for the branded offering will fuel growth over time. With the growing number of dog & cat adoptions will further boost the growth of the pet care market. People buying expensive foreign breeds will not shy away from lavishly spending on additional pet products like toys & beauty products for maintaining health & welfare of their beloved pets. Alongside, there is a growing demand for pet care solutions like pet restaurants & pet grooming services. All these pet humanization trends will further impart a positive influence on the pet care industry.
Internet & the Pet Care Market in India
Internet, however, is a major force which is expanding & working in India towards the growth of the pet care market. Apart from selling pet food online, their various e-stores offering pet accessories like leashes, pet toys & a variety of other accessories. Looking at the great potential of ecommerce, most manufacturers have also jumped on the bandwagon of the world-wide-web. Since most pet parents lack time these days, they have begun to prefer commercial pet food over homemade for pets. This is growing at a remarkable pace, especially for the urban population. Moreover, access & shopping over the internet on platforms like PetPals have made it so convenient for them to purchase just about anything they want for their pets, including pet adoption as well.
PET OWNERSHIP ON THE RISE
Pet ownership is increasing in India due to urbanisation and rising disposable incomes among middle-class households, coupled with changing attitudes to pets. For example, the ongoing humanisation trend is reducing traditional aversion to cat ownership, and is further illustrated by the increasing number of foodservice establishments, such as restaurants and cafés, which are becoming pet-friendly, with some even hosting special events and pool parties for dogs.
PET SHOPS: THE GO-TO CHANNEL FOR PET CARE PRODUCTS
Pet shops remains the leading distribution channel, with sales in 2019 driven further by the rising incidence of pet ownership. These stores offer a wide range of products, including pet food, pet products and with many now also providing pet grooming services.
GROWING SOPHISTICATION IN PET OWNERSHIP SET TO ENSURE A BRIGHT FUTURE FOR PET Care
Demand for pet care products is set to grow over the forecast period fuelled by rising pet adoption, growing attachment towards pets and the ongoing humanisation and health and wellness trends. Pet ownership is also seen by a significant number of higher-income consumers as an indication of status, and feeding their pet higher quality food, or investing in premium products for their pets, taps into this lifestyle appeal.
The Major Trends in Pet Care Industry————
Humanization———–
The trend of pet humanization continues to grow deeply in the pet care industry and there is no sign of abating according to Euromonitor International. Pet owners are treating their pets like members or a part of their family increasingly, whereby pets could provide companionship for their owners, especially dogs and cats. It is because the companionship of pets gives a fundamental psychological need for many people under a more atomized and urbanized living environment. Also, referring to the report of Euromonitor International, later marriage, elevated divorce rates, the smaller size of family and the social atomization are the sociological factors that causing the pet humanization trend. The pet care industry commercializes this humanization trend into extensive sales of humanized pet products and services. Therefore, many human characteristics pet products in sale caused by the high demand from pet owners, as pet owners want to buy similar products that human use for their ‘children’ pets. Pet humanization is the main original cause that arouses other pet trends in pet care industry, as the pet humanized attitude of pet owners is affecting the supply of pet care market. The following examples are related to pet humanized: veterinary therapies like magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI), chemotherapy for cancer, joints replacements; luxury grooming services such as spa, massage, hair styling; human-grade supplements for pets; and petfriendly traveling services, etc.
Premiumization————
Due to pet humanization, pet premiumization trend appears in pet care industry. Pet premiumization means upgrading the pet products to premium level in order to fulfill the demand of higher quality pet products from pet owners. In addition to, in the emerging markets, consumers demand premium pet food and products are middle class and urban pet owners. In 2007, there had a menu pet food recall involving a wide range of cat and dog food brands in North America. The pet food recall is one of the reasons that many consumers prefer niche premium brands for purchasing premium level, human-grade, organic, hypoallergenic and holistic pet food for their pets, said by Euromonitor International. Another reason of leading the pet premiumization trend is urbanization. In the Euromonitor’s report, it said that pet owners that live in the urban area are more likely to spoil their pets by comparing with the pet owners live in rural counterparts.4 As the rural pet owners think that pets are having functional usages like cats catch vermin and dogs are for security. The world population of living in the urban area is increasing meanwhile decreasing in rural area population. Therefore, the trend of premiumization in pet care would keep deepening as urbanites like to pamper their pets.
Aging and Overweight Pets—————-
An annual obesity prevalence survey 2015 was conducted by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP) in United State conducted. The survey found that about 20 percent of dogs and 28 percent of cats were obese, while approximately 34 percent of dogs and 28 percent of cats were overweight in the US. Put it in another way, over a half of the dogs and cats in the US have weight problems. Pets that are overweight or obese have primary risks of health problem, for instance, high blood pressure, heart, and respiratory disease, kidney disease, osteoarthritis, many forms of cancer, cranial cruciate ligament injury, decreased life expectancy up to two and a half years, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes stated by APOP. The problem of pet obesity is mainly caused by the pet owners with indulging their pets with treats and food or some of the owners give excessive food to their pets or feed their pet with inappropriate human food. Beyond of that, porky pets are incurred by a lack of exercise. Although pet obesity is not a new trend in pet care industry, the awareness of pet owners towards this weight problem remains comparatively low but is increasing, as the related therapeutic health products for pets are in demand. Hence, many pet care companies are launching weight-losing pet food or formulated pet food for diet on the pet care market, in order to tackle the pet overweight or obesity problem. Not only for pet food are designed for managing the issue of obese pets, technological gadget such as a fitness tracker are created for owners to monitoring the activity of their pets via the mobile applications. The pet fitness tracker senses and records the quality and duration of sleep, activity level in different time periods and Global Positioning System (GPS) function in advance. Comprehensive pet activity data would benefit the performance of pets’ weight reduction.
Internet / Mobile Pet Care———–
Internet or mobile pet care refers to pet merchandises retailing online via the Internet or mobile applications. Consumers purchase pet care good or service through the internet by ordering or appointing. Then, the ordered products would be delivered with package via shipping to delivery address. Online payment may be required to complete the transaction of online purchase, debit or credit card, PayPal, etc. are the common methods to pay online. As the coverage of Internet access keeps growing and fast development of electronic commerce (e-commerce), consumers are feeling more comfortable with online purchasing. According to an article from Euromonitor, a survey conducted by Eurostat found that 65 percent of consumers, who are between 16 and 74 years-old and living in the European Union, had bought products or services online within the last 12 months before the survey. 6 Moreover, the proportion of smartphone users is increasing. In 2015, 68 percent of adults had a smartphone in the United States and 86 percent of US citizen aged between 18 and 29 years-old had a smartphone.6 By comparing to the data found in 2011, there was only 35 percent of US adults had a smartphone; the number of smartphone users is rapidly growing.
Meanwhile, mobile pet care is another spotlight of pet m-commerce. With the installment of the mobile application software (apps) in the smartphone, consumers could shop for their pets in a quick and convenient way via the apps. For most of the leading pet care companies or retailers, they would provide online purchase service and mobile applications software for online purchase, for examples, Amazon.com, Taobao.com, Petco, etc. E-commerce offers online subscription services for consumers, in other words, consumers could sign up for the service of regular pet food deliveries. The online subscription services are prevalent for bustling consumers that attach importance of convenience.6 Indeed, internet retailing in pet care is growing resolutely in the global market in particular of pet food. And AsiaPacific region and North America region are the leading regions in the internet or mobile pet care according to the article of Euromonitor
PET CARE MARKET IN ASIA
Pet care market in Asia is the fastest growing in the world. Urbanisation, change in lifestyle and rising disposable income are driving adoption for pets and boosting the pet care industry. Various studies suggest that with increase in pet ownership, healthcare and spending, Asia’s pet industry is expected to grow at 14.3 per cent annually from 2016 to 2021. Pet owners have become more conscious about the health and well-being of their pets and are buying quality food, supplements and grooming products.
Emerging markets to watch out for in Asia are India, China, Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asia.
CHINA
China’s pet care industry is expected to grow by more than 50 per cent to reach $ 2.6 billion by 2019. The pet food market accounts for 37 per cent of total industry revenue followed by accessories with 26 per cent, medicine with 24 per cent.
JAPAN
Families in Japan are adopting more number of pets than ever, particularly larger ones. Pet caeket in Japan recorded revenues of over US $ 4 billion in 2014 – with an expected growth rate of 1.1 per cent per year to reach USD4.3 billion by 2020.
SOUTH KOREA
South Korean pet industry is forecasted to reach USD573 million in revenues by 2022. Online market demonstrates potential with high sales driven by discounts. Online pet food sales are expected to reach around $ 180 million in 2022.
SOUTHEAST ASIA
Southeast Asia pet care market includes Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines and Vietnam. Thailand is the largest market in terms of size. However, data suggests that Philippines can emerge as the most vibrant market in terms of growth rate followed by Vietnam.
