How Mexico’s inflation is increasing market share of low-cost pet food

7 out of 10 Mexican households are believed to own at least 1 pet. Since the pandemic, pet adoption in the country has grown by 50%, as more people chose to have pets for companionship rather than to guard property.

A recent market study from the Mexican National Alliance of Small Merchants (Anpec) concluded that pet parents are battling with an increase of up to 19.2% in the price of dog food and 16.3% in cat food. 

The results show that there was a price increase of at least 19% in puppy food and adult dog food. The price of a 2 kg puppy pet food product now costs MXN164.00 ($9.39/€8.62), a 19.8% increase since 2022. 

Whereas for cats, the increase is slightly lower at 16.33%. Kitten food in the 1.5 kg category rose by 16.63%, reaching MXN109.33 ($6.26/€‎5.75), and adult cat food experienced a 16.44% increase, representing MXN242.00 ($13.85/€‎12.72). Mexico has more dog owners than cat owners, with 6/10 pets being dogs and cats 3/10.

Cheaper options

Anpec’s President Cuauhtémoc Rivera warned that the inflation in commercial food is leading some pet parents to go for cheaper options that are less nutritive and healthy for their pets.

Rivera mentions to GlobalPETS that there are many factors to consider when buying low-cost food: failing to pass sanitation requirements during production, lack of sanitary care in stores, not offering fresh products, and shelf life not being guaranteed because products are usually mixed with old food.

Overall, he expresses that cheaper pet food “does not respond to the needs of our pets.”