In 2007, more than half of Earth’s human population lived in urban areas for the first time. Urbanization has continued, with more than a billion more people now living in cities and suburbs than in rural areas, according to United Nations Population Division figures presented by Our World in Data. People brought their desire for pets with them as they moved to cities, but changed some of their animal ownership preferences. For example, pet owners around the world are trending toward smaller dogs and cats that do better in smaller living spaces in urban environments. This in turn has influenced the foods and pet food that owners buy. In October 2022, market research group TGM Research surveyed 15,000 of Earth’s 8.1 billion people in 40 countries about pet ownership. Although regional differences emerged, six trends emerged as impacts of human urbanization on domestication.
Urbanization and pet ownership
Social Trends and Pet Humanization
“In urban areas, trends like pet humanization can take off faster,” Thuyen Vu, chief marketing officer, told Petfood Industry in an email. “According to our report, a significant 59% of consumers worldwide recognize their pets as part of the family, while 22% consider them friends, and 16% even equate them to children. This is can lead to purchasing premium pet foods marketed with a focus on quality ingredients and health benefits.”
Increased Disposable Income
“Urban areas generally have higher costs of living but also often higher wages,” Vu said. “This can lead to increased disposable income, allowing pet owners to purchase premium pet food products that offer special diets based on age, breed, or concerns health. Our report identifies the top considerations influencing pet food purchases as quality (81%), cost (66%), ingredient composition (53%), and specific health needs of domestic animals (50%).
Greater Health and Nutrition Awareness
“People living in urban areas may have more access to information and are often more aware of the health and nutritional needs of their pets,” he said. “This can lead to a preference for organic, natural, or specially formulated pet foods. According to our report, 50% of consumers worldwide choose specific health needs/concerns for their pet animal as one of the main factors for purchasing pet food.”
Availability and Variety
“Urban pet owners have access to a wider variety of pet food products, likely influencing purchasing habits toward more diverse and specialty products,” Vu said. “Our pet care report shows this with independent pet stores or small pet chain channels being the second most popular channel after supermarkets.
Online Shopping and Delivery Services
“With the proliferation of e-commerce, urban dwellers may prefer the convenience of ordering pet food online,” he said. “These are changing purchasing habits from in-store purchases to online shopping, with an emphasis on home delivery services. The online channel is the third most popular channel through which consumers shop of pet food in Europe, APAC and North America, according to the TGM Global Pet Care Survey 2023.”
Environmental problem
“Urban consumers may be more environmentally conscious and prefer pet foods that are sustainably sourced and have eco-friendly packaging. According to our report, 15% of surveyed consumers said that commitment to sustainability is a factor for their pet food purchase and this trend is higher across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Middle East and North Africa with 20%, 22% and 16 % respectively”
