At Petfood Forum (held annually in Kansas City, Missouri, USA), Doug Barton, CEO of Trone, presented results from a national study to understand cat and dog owner behaviors and beliefs regarding pet nutrition.
A national sample comprised 467 U.S. pet owners and focused on their beliefs regarding managing pets’ nutrition, influences on it, how nutrition impacts brand loyalty and level of confidence in managing it – as well as ways nutrition ties in with audience marketing strategy.
“Our aim was to speak with pet owners and gain a clearer sense of their confidence in nutrition,” stated Barton. “Many admitted feeling overwhelmed by all the various categories such as food, supplements and treats available for their animals.”
Pet owners looking for nutrition solutions for their animals. Here is where Pet Owner Nutritional Segments come into play.
According to Barton, this study employed 24 agreement clauses in order to gauge pet owners’ nutritional confidence. A cluster analysis enabled four segments to be defined that define pet nutrition:
Healthy Advocates (32%), Selective Loyalists (16%), Hopeful Explorers (24%), and Lacking Interest in Pet Nutrition (29%).
“It is quite remarkable to witness how approximately 70% of pet owners feel confident about feeding their animals the appropriate diets, while there is another third who truly don’t care,” noted Barton. “Their interest levels do not match those in other segments.”
Focusing on three distinct segments, we discovered that each has their own strategic marketing viability.
Healthy Advocates’ pet nutrition motivators mirror those used for themselves – they strive to find nutritious items for their furry friends. According to research, this segment of pet owners relied on 82% on veterinarian recommendations, 63% on product packaging/labels, 59% claiming “veterinarian recommended”, and 59% rating and review sites as sources for nutritional data.
The Selective Loyalists believe that providing their pet with a balanced diet will lead to reduced health problems and lower veterinary bills. This segment of pet owners relying 71% on advice from veterinarians; 60% on product packaging/labels; 55% of products claiming “veterinarian recommended”, 55% of products featuring veterinarian recommendations; and 49% relying on manufacturer information.
Hopeful Explorers share an emotional bond with their pets and want to ensure their wellbeing and longevity. This segment relies on 55% of veterinarian recommendations, 40% product package/label information and 39% of products with “veterinarian recommended” claims as sources for health tips for their furry family members; 27% come from manufacturer data.
Pet owners seeking more education regarding nutrition will likely come across more available resources for pets.
Barton estimates that pet owners are willing to invest US$50-75 with their veterinarian for a nutrition consultation service for their animal, according to his survey of US pet owners.
Barton highlighted an opportunity for consumer education. However, any such message must be conveyed clearly so as to be easily comprehendible by them.
Owners are increasingly scrutinizing manufacturer information listed on the back of pet food or treat packages.
“People are scrutinizing product labels; more and more importance is being attached to these product labels,” Barton noted, noting they visit websites to obtain manufacturer details; here lies an opportunity for manufacturers to educate pet owners.
Pet owners favor online, direct-to-consumer, and subscription pet food purchases as the go-to solution.
The study identified an overwhelming preference for online shopping by pet parents; 49% preferred purchasing supplements online while 28% preferred functional snacks and treats online.
“Increasingly, functional treats and supplements are shifting towards online channels,” noted Barton. This trend was initiated by retail, who has stopped investing as heavily in providing distribution of supplements, probiotics and functional treats in favor of regular non-functional treats and pet food.
As for direct-consumer and subscription pet foods, Healthy Advocates and Hopeful Explorers tend to explore these more than Selective Loyalists; both groups appear more willing to try more tailored options that meet their pets’ nutritional needs.
As direct-to-consumer and subscription pet food segments become more established, it is critical to understand where consumers are shopping, what products they are purchasing and their attitudes regarding nutrition.
Barton asserts that nutrition drives switching. According to him, its impact on brand loyalty has the opposite effect – those more focused on nutrition tend to explore more options and be less brand loyal than their counterparts.
Pet companies must keep in mind that each segment of nutrition beliefs has its own implication for outcomes, paying close attention to what message each segment sends out. When trying to understand “why”, remember specifics related to each segment like Selective Loyalists hoping to reduce healthcare costs while Healthy Advocates prioritize what’s best for their pet when it comes to nutrition.