Premium petfood & the influence of sustainable packaging
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Premium petfood & the influence of sustainable packaging
Pet owners increasingly see their pets as valued family members. An emotional attachment that has grown ever stronger in recent years. Just as they do with their own food, consumers look carefully at the ingredients in the food they buy for their pets. Expectations are moving away from “high quality” towards “humanised”; i.e. free of preservatives and genetically modified ingredients. This trend is also linked to the increased availability of healthy treats, special foods and other - more premium - options. The growth in this premium pet food market is boosting demand for advanced packaging. Pet lovers want packaging that is attractive, informative and protective, just like the packaging for any other food product. In addition, the NVWA (Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority) has tightened up its regulations for pet food products. The nutritional information on labels has a major effect on consumers’ purchasing behaviour.
“The influence of packaging
on market trends”
In recent years, many studies have been conducted into trends in
pet foods. This prompted us to investigate the influence of
packaging on pet food sales in relation to the trends we see in the
market.
One of the trends is pet food humanisation. As more and more
people start to see their pets as family members, they increasingly
want high-quality natural ingredients for their pet, just as they do
for their own food.
Increasing awareness about protecting health stimulates the
acceptance of modern packaging. Sustainability plays a major role
here: preventing food waste and the ability to recycle (plastic)
packaging materials are increasingly important drivers.
Due to increased urbanisation and the associated growth in small
households, consumers prefer small package sizes rather than large
(bulk) packaging.
One in three households in Europe has a pet
Expected growth in the total pet population will lead to a sustained
increase in the demand for pet food in Europe. As consumers
become more aware of pet health, there will be strong growth in
products that are more diet-friendly or that focus on specific
ailments. Products that are natural, organic, sustainable and
transparent in terms of the source and origin of their ingredients
are increasingly preferred.
Source: Fediaf
Strong growth in premium pet food
As the pet population increases, the demand for pet food has risen
across all segments. The premium food segment, which is often
associated with the strongest health claims, grew faster than the
other segments during the period from 2013 to 2017 and has
continued to grow at a similar rate from 2018 to 2020.
Source: AAFC
Cats
Because cats are the favourite pet in countries with
a high population density and cities with small
homes, the market for cat food will continue to
grow strongly. Western Europe is the largest
market for cat food due to product innovation and
greater humanisation of cats, resulting in higher
sales of premium cat food.
Dogs
In addition to dog food for the specific breed of
their pet, dog owners are becoming increasingly
interested in new trends. Products that promote
If we look at the most popular 6 pets in Europe, the cat population is the largest at 35.5%, gluten-free ingredients or superfood ingredients,
followed by dogs (29.2%), birds (17.3%), small rodents (9.5%), fish (5.1%) and reptiles e.g. cranberries, blueberries and acai berries, are
(3.1%). This ranking among the pet populations is expected to remain the same up to becoming increasingly popular. Dog owners
2022. believe that these ingredients have the same
benefits for their pets as for humans.
Annually growth rate of
Revenue forecast
the animal nutrition
industry
2,6 %
REVENUE FORECAST2013
OMZETPROGNOSE 2013‐ 2022
‐ 2022(USD
(USDMILLIONS)
MILLIONS)
30000
30000
25000
25000
20000
20000
15000
15000
10000
10000
5000
5000
00
2013 2014 2015 2016
2016 2017
2017 2018
2018 2019
2019 2020
2020 2021
2021 2022
2022
Dry
Drydog
dogfood
food Wet
Wetdog
dogfood
food Dog
Dogtreats
treatsand
andmixers
mixers
Dry
Drycat
catfood
food Wet
Wetcat
catfood
food Cat
Cattreats
treatsand
andmixers
mixers
Source: Euromonitor International
Current Trends
Health and well-being Humanisation of pet food Freshness
High-quality pet food has effective The personalisation of pets is the When asked to indicate what
preventive healthcare benefits. Most most important trend in the pet food influences their choice of food for
owners of dogs and cats, 75% in fact, market. Many pet owners seek a pet their pet, pet owners state that it must
agree that pets with specific health food that mirrors their own tastes. As be nutritious and above all tasty. This
problems can benefit from pet food a result, premium products that is partly due to humanisation of pets
recipes that target these conditions. contain more and more ‘natural’, ‘raw’ as part of the family, leading to an
and ‘organic’ foods are increasingly overriding focus on the well-being of
available on the market. As a result, both the animal and its owner.
owners have a greater range of choice
on retailers’ shelves.
The influence of packaging on pet lovers’ buying behaviour Buying motives A conscious (and unconscious) process takes place before the consumer decides to buy a product. This process depends partly on the extent to which the consumer feels involved. The greater the degree of involvement, the more conscious the process is. Perceptions that play a major role are the first impression, recognition and familiarity. When it comes to buying a premium pet food, we see a shift from a habitual process towards a conscious choice process. So the scope offered by the packaging to present the product distinctively is becoming increasingly important. The influence of Covid-19 on buying behaviour Different factors, including nutritional value, health, ‘natural, ‘organic’ and sustainability all play a role (to a greater or lesser extent) in the buying choices consumers make. Covid-19 has led to a swing to online purchasing. The pandemic seems to have accelerated consumer acceptance of e- commerce. Even in uncertain times, pet owners want to pamper their animals and continue to give them optimally nutritious foods. Appearance of the packaging All these factors have an effect on the choice of packaging. The three most important aspects are: ● appearance – the packaging evokes a feeling of familiarity and trust. ● information on the packaging – a clear description of the ingredients in the product, their origin and nutritional values. ● sustainability – a form of packaging that is recyclable, contains less plastic and reduces food waste.
The added value of sustainable packaging
Brand loyalty
Pet owners have to choose from an ever increasing number of brands that all compete for their
attention. As a result of shifting trends and increased awareness, they are increasingly less likely to
routinely buy the same bag of dry or wet pet food each time they visit a specialist pet shop,
supermarket or an online shop. Producers of pet food have to be more and more creative in finding
ways to build a relationship with individual consumers.
If the appearance of the packaging reflects the same increasingly high standards expected by
consumers, they are more likely to be loyal to the brand.
Sustainability and flexibility
The move towards sustainable packaging solutions is an important shift in the market. After all,
consumers have been ‘trained’ to believe that almost any type of packaging can be recycled.
However, the material used for the packaging is not the only important aspect: the size of the
packaging also plays a role. To reduce food waste, we see a clear trend away from bulk packaging
towards smaller, single-portion packaging (or sub-packs).
Each pet food producer has different requirements. Flexible packaging has all the attributes
needed to offer a good range of options that meet these requirements.
Freshness and taste
The production process has also changed in order to achieve a better ‘bite’ and improve the
flavour of premium pet foods. Instead of pre-cooking their products in a steam tunnel, producers
now increasingly cook them in the autoclave. This approach combines cooking and sterilisation in a
single operation and the product itself is more flavoursome and has a better texture because it is
only heated up once.
Omori Europe: your partner in packaging solutions About Omori Europe We constantly look for new opportunities for developing the packaging of the future. Thanks to our highly motivated team and our extensive technical knowledge, we can quickly respond to the constantly changing needs and wishes in the market. We put our passion and commitment into producing packaging machines for products that are essential for daily life, such as (pet) food and pharmaceuticals. Feel free to contact us Investigating the potential of a new packaging machine is not something you do every day. So we offer you the opportunity of extensively testing your products on one of the packaging lines in our fully equipped demo area. Would you like to receive more information about a specific packaging machine or arrange a non-binding meeting to discuss your needs? Please contact us via info@omorieurope.com or call +31 (0)88 666 7400.
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