Many manufacturers of food and household products are joining Japan's growing luxury pet product market, catering to the owners wishing to pamper their “cherished family” members with special treats and comfortable furniture.
Aeon Pet Co., owned by shopping mall operator Aeon Co., sold Christmas cakes and Japanese traditional New Year's “osechi” cuisine for dogs and cats so that customers can celebrate the festivities together with them.
Some of this year's osechi cost over 10,000 yen ($64), a first for the company, including the most expensive 16,500 yen dish. But the product manager said confidently, “More people are willing to buy them, even at higher prices, as long as the quality meets their expectations.”
Photo shows Aeon Pet Co.'s New Year's “osechi” cuisine for dogs. (Photo courtesy of Aeon Pet Co.)(Kyodo)
The osechi contained delicacies such as roast beef, festive red rice, Japanese mustard spinach and scallop terrine, and mashed potatoes made to look like sushi rice with toppings.
The company also collaborated with popular confectionery store operator Fujiya Co. to offer Christmas cakes for pets.
Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2024, shows Sapporo Potato snacks developed by Unicharm Corp. and Calbee Inc. exclusively for dogs. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Japan's pet product market is estimated at 1.90 trillion yen in fiscal 2024, up 21 percent from 1.57 trillion yen in fiscal 2019, according to the Yano Research Institute. The market is expected to reach around 2 trillion in fiscal 2026.
Muji retail store operator Ryohin Keikaku Co. started selling their newly developed products late last year, created based on the concept of providing “a comfortable life” for pets.
Products include furniture such as box shelves that also serve as an exercise area for cats, with round holes carved out so they can move through them freely in addition to climbing.
The product was made using the same safety standards as furniture for humans. “The demand for safe products that consumers can give to their pets has been growing,” Asako Shimazaki, a senior executive officer at Ryohin Keikaku, said.
Photo taken on Nov. 24, 2024, shows a cat eating puree developed by Ryohin Keikaku Co., the operator of stores selling a wide range of merchandise under the “Muji” brand. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo
Unicharm Corp., a Japanese hygiene and pet care products maker, teamed up with Calbee Inc. to sell a version of the popular potato snack “Sapporo Potato” made for dogs. They look just like the usual crisps but contain less seasoning to suit canine tastes and dietary needs.
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