The 2022 China Pet Industry White Paper revealed impressive statistics in the pet industry. In 2022, China's pet population reached 116.55 million, with a 3.7% YoY growth. Moreover, the urban pet consumption market recorded a 8.7% YoY growth, exceeding 270.6 billion yuan. Among the various market segments, pet food, a fundamental necessity, commands a substantial share, surpassing the 50% mark. Furthermore, pet supplies, pet medical care, and pet services have established themselves as significant players in the market. While the market share of pet supplies currently hovers around 13%, it is on a steady upward trajectory. Notably, sales of pet supplies on Ali platforms exceeded 15 billion yuan in the 12 months leading up to June 2023, signaling a continuous expansion of the user base and a noticeable uptick in prices.

The pet supplies market is subdivided into several categories, including pet toiletries, pet home, pet grooming, pet travel, and smart pet care appliances. Driven by consumer demands, each category presents distinctive development trends:

Pet Toiletries

Core motivations for pet toiletry purchases include odor control and ease of cleaning. Cat owners also emphasize their pets' comfort, while dog owners aim to establish good toileting habits.

In this category, main products include cat litter, litter boxes, and pee pads. Consumers prioritize features like safety, effectiveness, odor control, and easy storage for cat litter. In the future, products with superior odor control, strong antibacterial properties, and safe ingredients will be highly sought after. Concerning litter boxes, consumers are particularly interested in size and functionality, including features like splash protection, ventilation, easy cleaning, and automation. For products like pee pads, as consumers grapple with issues like leakage, strong odors, and hygiene maintenance, products with enhanced absorbency, anti-leak designs, and improved odor control are preferred.

Pet Home

The pet home product market is significantly influenced by young pet owners who prioritize enhancing their pets' quality of life through a range of living items and toys. Pet home products include living spaces, toys, and clothing, all designed to create comfortable living environments, promote pets' emotional well-being, and strengthen the bond between pets and owners.

For products like pet houses, consumers focus on suitability and functionality across various living spaces, with features like cooling, warmth, and insect protection. In the future, pet houses should offer better durability, ease of cleaning, and antibacterial properties. Demand for pet entertainment products includes high interactivity, durability, and aesthetic appeal. Toys are evolving to become more interactive, resistant to scratching, and adaptable in form. Pet clothing emphasizes wearing comfort and suitability for different occasions.

Indeed, the concept of cohabitating with pets represents a modern and evolving way of life. It is crucial for pet product brands to prioritize product design that harmonizes pet home items with the lifestyles of pet owners, ensuring a seamless and enriched coexistence.

Pet Grooming

Major pet grooming products include shampoos, facial and oral cleaning products, and pet wipes. Currently, market trends are shifting towards more refined grooming options that emphasize specialization, convenience, and comprehensive care for the whole family. More cleaning product categories are emerging, tailored to different pet ages and breeds. And the use of specialized products for specific areas, including oral, ocular, ear, fur, and paws, is becoming commonplace. Convenience-driven grooming products, such as dry washes and waterless cleaning, are witnessing rapid growth. It's also noted that the demand for cleaning products related to pet supplies, pet living environment, as well as pet owners' clothing is also on the rise. In the future, grooming products with gentle yet effective formulas, pet-specific applications, convenient usage, as well as comprehensive care will be highly anticipated.

Pet Travel

Pet owners have specific priorities when it comes to pet travel products. Their primary concerns include alleviating their pets' travel anxiety, ensuring safety during journeys, and providing convenience. Major pet travel products include leashes and pet carriers. Additionally, pet strollers and car seat cushions are witnessing significant growth. Future trends in these products will emphasize comfort, escape prevention, portability, and enhanced storage capacity.

Smart Pet Care

Smart pet care products are designed to alleviate the burden of pet ownership and provide a solution for pet caring in the owner's absence. This market primarily encompasses products related to feeding, drying, toileting, entertainment, and monitoring. Consumers have specific expectations for various smart products:

• Smart Feeders: Consumers anticipate features like scheduled feeding, remote control, automatic cleaning and sterilization, and airtight pet food storage.

• Water Dispensers: Enhancements in automatic sterilization, ease of cleaning, and long-lasting battery life are desired.

• Drying Boxes: Consumers seek safety, efficiency, noise reduction, and multi-functionality

• Pet Monitoring: Consumers prefer products with a broader monitoring range, intelligent alerts, and remote connectivity.

• Smart Toys: Consumers are interested in features including high interactivity, durability, remote control, and voice interactions, providing a companion-style playing experience.

In conclusion, with the continuous rise in pet ownership in China and the growing demand for pet products, China's pet products market evolves towards refinement, specialization and premiumization. These evolving dynamics are poised to fuel the ongoing growth of China's pet products market.

 **Disclaimer: All images used in the article are from the Internet.