Pet Food in the US, 19th Edition

In the post-pandemic economy, persistent inflation continues to challenge Americans, and rising prices for pet products and services are intensifying financial pressure on pet owners. These higher costs, combined with higher prices on everyday essentials, have led to reductions in discretionary pet purchases, delays in new pet acquisitions, and, in some cases, pet relinquishment. According to Packaged Facts' January 2025 Survey of Pet Owners, 31% of pet owners say inflation has negatively affected their ability to buy nonessential pet items, compared with just 10% who report a positive impact. Although pet food inflation has eased, its effects remain visible across the market. As a result, many consumers are prioritizing value, seeking deals, and choosing budget-friendly pet food options. At the same time, a strong contingent of pet owners continues to invest in premium and superpremium pet foods-particularly fresh and innovative formulations that are driving overall market gains.

Because pet food is considered a non-discretionary purchase, the category has been shielded from some of the cutbacks affecting non-food pet supplies. Its status as the top-ranked pet health and wellness product further supports ongoing demand for higher-priced premium offerings. Packaged Facts forecasts that US dog and cat food sales will rise from nearly $54 billion in 2024 to more than $64 billion in 2029, representing a 3.2% compound annual growth rate-slightly below pre-COVID levels and bolstered by growth in alternative formats such as fresh pet food.

The newly updated 19th edition of Packaged Facts' Pet Food in the US delivers comprehensive analysis of the forces reshaping the market. This report provides historical and projected sales trends from 2019-2029, including segmented forecasts for dog and cat food. It explores market performance by product form (dry, wet, semi-moist, frozen/refrigerated, freeze-dried, and air-dried), key ingredients, and leading product claims across all major retail channels-online, mass-market, pet specialty, and more. Drawing on proprietary insights from Packaged Facts' January 2025 and September 2025 Surveys of Pet Owners and MRI-Simmons' Summer 2025 consumer data, the report delivers an in-depth look at pet owner behavior, attitudes, and brand usage.

Additional coverage includes cross-market trends, consumer spending patterns, emerging market opportunities, M&A activity, e-commerce and omnichannel developments, and the latest innovations in product development and marketing-all framed within today's challenging economic environment.