Urban pet lifestyle trend superpremium, small and sustainable.

Less is more, especially for pets in big cities. Smaller package sizes are gaining in popularity among city dwellers, and for a good reason – space comes at a premium. Consumer convenience and alternative pet food formats are significant factors behind the trend toward smaller pouches and trays, but freshness remains king of the urban jungle.

When the pandemic caused lockdown measures in 2020, pet shelters were forced to close, and many developed markets experienced surges in pet adoptions. In New York City, a shelter looking for temporary pet fostering for 200 animals received more than 2,000 applicants.¹ Humans have looked to pets for companionship for centuries, and the same rings true today.

According to a new study, millennials (1982-2004) are happiest in large cities² and make up a large majority of the single urban population in the US. Millennials have also overtaken the baby boomers as the biggest pet-owning generation, with 35% of millennials owning pets.³ Petcare brands can respond to this demographic by focussing on info-centric communication and premium products that cater to their urban lifestyle.

RIGHT SIZE PACKAGING

A recent post on pet humanisation pointed out that today’s pets share striking similar lifestyles to their human companions. With urban millennials accustomed to instant and on-demand services like streaming entertainment to food delivery apps, it’s no wonder they opt for online shopping when it comes to pet food, treats, and other pet care products.

Pet nutrition is also following similar trendlines as millennials’ culinary habits. Their focus is on healthy and easy to prepare food – meal kit delivery is ideal for this target group since it doesn’t require shopping for ingredients or potential food waste. Especially for wet pet foods, small and lightweight pouches are prevalent amongst this segment, as single-serve packaging is perfect for on-the-go and active lifestyles.

SINGLE-SERVE AND FUTURE-FORWARD

As pet parents increasingly take their fur babies along for a multitude of activities, single-serve pet food packaging sold individually or as multipacks gives consumers a heightened sense of freedom and flexibility. In fact, 100% recyclable pouches could even be on a path to dominate over traditional metal can packaging in the future. Trays and pouches serve as excellent sustainable packaging solutions for alternative pet food such as mixers, toppers, frozen and dehydrated formats are also gaining in popularity.

According to a recent Deloitte study, younger generations rank climate change among their top five greatest concerns.⁴ It is essential for pet food brands to lead sustainability efforts in corporate social responsibility, including eco-friendly packaging. Mondi has developed several sustainable packaging concepts for pet food, including the award-winning BarrierPack Recyclable. Together, we can create a more sustainable future for humans and their pets.

References

(1) World Market for Pet Care. Euromonitor International. June 2020

(2) www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00343404.2018.1453130?journalCode=cres2

(3) www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/animal-health/pets/pet-industry-trends-millennials

(4) https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/pages/about-deloitte/articles/millennialsurvey.html