Mars Incorporated has released findings from the world’s largest survey focused on pet ownership, revealing essential trends and behavioral shifts that signify a new era of ‘Pet Parent Centricity.’ This expansive study canvassed over 20,000 pet owners in 20 different countries, offering fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of pet ownership.
Ikdeep Singh, Global President of Mars Pet Nutrition, highlighted the significance of these findings by stating, “Almost half (47%) of those surveyed are first-time owners, signaling a new era of pet parents.” He emphasized the importance of adapting to these new dynamics, stating, “We need to embed pet parent centricity into our DNA to transform the experience and build lifelong relationships with the 455 million pets and pet parents we reach.”
The study demonstrates the deep bond pet owners hold with their animals, with 37% of dog and cat owners considering their pets the most crucial element in their lives. This figure is even more pronounced among Gen Z, where 45% of respondents view their pets with such significance, followed by 40% of Millennials.
Interestingly, global trends show that cat ownership surpasses dog ownership, with 52% of cat owners being male compared to 48% female. Additionally, a preference for younger animals is clear, as 84% of respondents acquired their pets before they reached 12 months of age.
The decision to acquire pets is primarily influenced by family (26%), with significant contributions from friends (21%), social media (13%), online searches (13%), and veterinarians (11%).
Pets are perceived as key components of their owners’ lives, providing unconditional love, family completeness, entertainment, and stress relief. However, pet ownership also presents challenges, as 32% of owners feel guilty about leaving their pets alone. Moreover, only 42% find their neighborhoods very pet-friendly, and 26% express difficulties with traveling alongside their pets.
Ikdeep Singh noted, “As the world’s leading pet care company, we’re always working on the next big thing in pet parenting, using the insights from this study to continuously innovate and adapt to solve pet parent pain points.” He further remarked that supporting pet owners through their journey is essential to Mars’ mission of ‘a better world for pets.’
In conjunction with the study’s launch, Mars is spearheading the inaugural global Mars Pet Adoption Weekend, a campaign aimed at encouraging pet adoptions across 12 countries spanning Europe, Asia, South America, and North America.
