The 57 million adult pet owners under age 40 have different preferences and consumer tendencies than their Gen X and baby Boomer counterparts
Pet ownership in the U.S. is trending younger and younger. The 57 million pet owners under age 40 account for 41% of all pet owning adults in the United States. Over the past decade Gen Z (18- to 24-year-olds) and Millennials (25- to 39-year-olds) accounted for much more than half of the growth in the pet owner population, according to market research firm Packaged Facts new report Gen Z and Millennials as Pet Market Consumers: Dogs, Cats, other Pets.
“Adult pet owners under age 40 are as much the present as they are the future of the industry,” says David Sprinkle, research director for Packaged Facts. “These younger generations of pet market consumers are vital to the bottom line of pet product and service marketers because the vanguard of the baby Boomer generation is reaching the age when pet ownership declines sharply. Moreover, Boomers will be succeeded by members of Gen X, who spend heavily on pet products and services but are a relatively small population cohort.”
As to be expected, Gen Z and Millennial pet owners are influencing the pet industry in distinct ways that are quite different when compared to the practices and preferences of their parents and grandparents. though there are also distinctions between the two younger cohorts, Packaged Facts found that typically both Gen Z and Millennial pet owners:
Trust in brand integrity and smaller pet product companies: Compared to Gen X and Boomer pet owners, Gen Z and Millennial pet owners are much more likely to count on products provided by smaller companies such as regional or family-owned companies or smaller natural/organic product companies. However, smaller marketers need to be prepared with something much more compelling than a run-of-the mill message if they are to reach out successfully to these young pet parents.
Rely heavily on vet assistance for pet product purchases: Pet owners in the 18- to 39-year-old age group are far much more likely than their older counterparts to depend on their veterinarian for guidance about a broad range of pet products. For example, compared to 55- to 74-year-old canine owners, canine owners in the 18- to 39-year-old age group are much more likely to seek out the opinion of their veterinarians concerning canine foods and canine treats. They are much more than three times as likely to have purchased canine foods from a veterinarian in the past three months.
Show interest in veterinary services in non-traditional venues: Veterinary service companies will find growth opportunities among Gen Z and Millennial canine owners by expanding veterinarian services in non-traditional settings. canine owners in the 18- to 39-year-old age group express greater interest than their older counterparts in having a vet check out their home to offer routine canine health services or having a veterinarian check out their work place to offer routine canine health services. A similar pattern holds for Gen Z and Millennial cat owners.
Have an eclectic menagerie of pet types: Gen Z and Millennial pet owners make up a disproportionate share of owners of birds, fish, reptiles or rabbits or hamsters. As a result, Gen Z and Millennial pet owners are prime targets for marketers of items such as reptile habitats, bird cages and stands and aquariums.
In regards to the differences that do exist between Gen Z and Millennial pet owners, many appear to be related to the fact that numerous adult Gen Z pet owners are barely out of their adolescence or teen years. For example, Gen Z pet owners have much more fun with their animals in that they are much more likely to make their animals part of their Halloween festivities or purchase their animals special pet foods or treats on their birthdays. Meanwhile, Millennials focus much more on the health of their pets. For example, they are much much more likely than Gen Z pet owners to be concerned about their animals having food allergies or intolerances.