PETS International Magazine February 2021

The pet market in Canada has seen continual growth for decades, even during challenging economic times. But determining the outcome for 2020-21 is difficult. Despite a welcome influx of new pet owners, ongoing restrictions make life hard for some businesses.

Why this year is the ideal time for manufacturers to benefit from integrating fruit and vegetables into pet products.

In the early stages of the pandemic, some forecasted a large decline in the US pet industry. Fortunately, as the numbers begin to shape up for the year, it looks like the forecast is brighter.

2020 was a unique year for the US pet care industry. Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, it performed quite well.

One of the positive effects of the pandemic is increased awareness of the importance of sustainability. And consumers want sustainable products for their pets too. How are manufacturers meeting this need in different parts  of the world?

Not since the Great Recession of 2008 has retail experienced such a disruptive and damaging year as 2020. There have been many changes, but not all for the worse. The pet industry seems more resilient than other sectors.

Pet food made with local, specialist or ‘wild’ ingredients has become a major marketing opportunity in the last few years. But it has its own challenges.

The disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is not the only reason to consider sourcing more locally. Local sourcing also offers several advantages when it comes to two of the biggest current trends in the pet food industry: the humanisation of pet products and increased sustainability demands from consumers.

With the world population continuing to grow and the climate emergency increasing, it becomes more urgent for every business to respond positively. More natural resources are used than the earth can regenerate. Wastage of crops adds to the problem. Using human-grade food products for pet food is unsustainable.

The need for sustainability is pushing the pet food industry to come up with new ideas, procedures, and science when it comes to one of the most expensive nutrients in pet food – protein.

Consumers want to make healthier choices about what they feed their pets. Rice starch can help manufacturers to achieve the highest quality and have maximum consumer appeal for their pet food products.

Tetra Pak is a world leading food processing and packaging solutions company, that works closely with its customers and suppliers. It provides safe, innovative, and environmentally sound products that each day meet the needs of hundreds of millions of people in more than 160 countries.

As the concern around public health is growing, so is the demand for natural multifunctional ingredients – those that will combine antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions in food for humans and animals. Time to revisit honey bee products.

Pet owners’ desire to feed their pets human quality food with high meat content and their wish to feed more ethically and sustainably are seemingly at odds. New approaches are emerging that could resolve this tension.

Regional is good, global is bad. Many people would like it to be as simple  as that but of course it is not. So which value standards and criteria should  a responsible brand manufacturer apply in selecting suppliers who are  open to sustainable raw material procurement?

As pet owners demand greater sustainability from the brands they buy, PSC helps the pet industry to address the environmental and social impacts of the use of flexible plastic packaging.

How can we reduce the environmental impact of caring for our feathered and furry companions to ensure a sustainable future for them and us?

Feeding cats with home-cooking leftovers and making meals for dogs from online recipes sounds idyllic, but does it also help pets to stay fit and healthy?

Companies are increasingly expected to take a leading role in designing sustainable products.