Millennials and Gen X drive online pet care growth in the US

Last year, 53% of American pet owners shopped online, the highest share in the past 4 years. In-store purchases, by contrast, declined to 45%, down from a peak of 50% in 2022, according to the American Pet Products Association’s (APPA) 2026 State of the Industry report.

Millennials led online shopping with a 57% share. Historically, owners from this generation have driven this channel, with a 56% share in 2024 and 53% in both 2023 and 2022.

Meanwhile, the share of Gen X pet owners shopping online reached its highest level in 2025, at 53%, having gradually increased since 2022. For in-store purchases, Boomers led in 2025 at 50%, continuing their streak since 2022. APPA surveyed 9,221 owners in October 2025. 

Data from NielsenIQ featured in the report revealed that 84.6% of all dollars spent on pet care come from omni-shoppers, or those who buy both in-store and online. This figure represents a 6.8% year-over-year (YoY) increase. In parallel, 65.2% of buyers are omni-shoppers, rising 6.6% YoY.

Online purchases

Over the years, pet food has consistently led online pet care purchases in the US, reaching its highest level in 2025 at 83%. This was followed by treats and toys, which also peaked at 80% and 78%, respectively.

Other pet products also reached record highs last year, including grooming supplies (67%), litter and bedding (61%), and vitamins and supplements (55%). Medication was the only category to see a slight YoY decline, slipping from 55% of owners in 2024 to 54% in 2025.

Subscription declines

Subscription behavior has shifted over time. Overall penetration peaked in 2020 at 54% but has since followed an up-and-down trajectory. 

For instance, in 2025, 49% of pet owners reported making subscription purchases. Gen Z and Millennials led adoption, at 55% each. However, compared to the previous year, both categories declined by 6 and 4 percentage points (p.p.), respectively.

According to APPA, this decline was driven by Gen Z and Millennial pet owners, who reported spending more time browsing in-store. Notably, while younger generations are more likely to purchase products by subscription compared to older generations, subscription purchases among both Gen X and Boomers have remained stable since 2024.

The most popular product purchased via subscription in the US in 2025 was food (30%), followed by treats (17%), vitamins and supplements (15%), and medication (14%). Smaller shares subscribed to litter and bedding (10%), toys (9%), and grooming supplies (6%).

By category, food subscriptions reached their highest level in both 2020 and 2024 (31%), while treats peaked in 2024 at 19%. Other categories – including toys (17%), litter and bedding (12%), grooming supplies (13%), and vitamins and supplements (18%) – also saw their highest levels in 2020.

Pet-friendly spaces

Over the past 7 years, the number of American pet owners who report working in pet-friendly workplaces has increased by 30%. Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely to work in such places, at 16% and 14%, respectively. However, in 2025, fewer workplaces allowed pets, down 7% YoY. 

Beyond workplaces, public spaces such as hotels and restaurants have seen a sharp increase in demand, with dog owners visiting pet-friendly hotels rising by 39% and those visiting pet-friendly restaurants increasing by 130% over the past 7 years. Gen Z and Millennials once again drove this growth.

In 2025, 46% of dog owners reported visiting a pet-friendly hotel, while 23% went to a pet-friendly restaurant, showing that “for many owners, dogs aren’t just pets – they’re lifestyle companions,” APPA says.