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Two in three pet owners interested in personalised diets, survey shows

Almost two-thirds of pet owners are interested in personalised diets for their pets, with the potential for better health and wellbeing key drivers, a survey shows.

The survey was carried out by online pet owner community Yummypets, which then shared the findings via its Loop platform. Almost 2,200 dog and cat owners based in six different countries submitted their views on personalised pet nutrition.

Currently, fewer than half of those surveyed were familiar with the concept, while just one in four purchases personalised nutrition products for their animals.

The most commonly cited obstacles to adopting personalised diets were cost, with many survey participants willing to consider switching if the prices were comparable with their current choice of food, and concerns around whether their pets would dislike the taste of new food products or be intolerant to them.

However, the potential for improving the health and wellbeing of pets, along with the appeal of online and subscription-based purchasing models, led to most owners being interested in trying the approach.

Age proves biggest differentiator in interest

From the six nations surveyed – the UK, US, France, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico – participants from the UK and US showed the most existing familiarity with the concept of personalised pet nutrition.

Age was the biggest differentiator when it came to interest in introducing a personalised diet. Three-quarters of younger pet owners said they were either very interested, or interested, compared with 55% of older pet owners.

There were also differences between dog owners and cat owners. Almost half of the dog owners said they were familiar or very familiar with the approach, compared with 38% of cat owners.

Furthermore, cat owners tended to associate personalised diets with addressing health conditions, while dog owners connected the approach more with meeting the needs of a specific breed.

Personalised pet nutrition: The current market

According to one set of data, the global market for personalised pet nutrition products will be worth $4.6 billion in 2026, rising at a CAGR of 15.5% to $14.7 billion by 2034.

The growth will be driven by both the consumer – with pets increasingly seen as family members who deserve top-end health and wellness – and technologies such as pet microbiome testing, DNA analysis, and digital health monitoring, which contribute to ever-more tailored diet programmes.

There are many established companies working in the sector, with a range of different approaches.

UK-based Luna & Me, a manufacturer specialising in raw pet food, invites customers to participate in an online survey to build a diet plan best-suited to their pets.

Other manufacturers who use a similar system include The Farmer’s Dog, Butternut Box, and Pure Pet Food, with many more on the market.

Pet Diet Plans, meanwhile, uses proprietorial software to analyse information about a user’s pet, and will recommend a bespoke diet based either on commercial food products, or provide recipes for the owner to cook at home.

Los Angeles-based ChefPaw, part of Innovet Pet Products, has introduced the Pet Food Maker – a system for weighing and mixing fresh ingredients, with accompanying app to provide information on recipes, portioning, and cooking, to enable pet owners to choose blends that meet their pet’s specific dietary needs.

And Just Food For Dogs is an example of a supplier that offers diet plans tailored to counter existing health conditions. This includes ready-mixed products designed to support areas such as joint health, digestive health, and sensitive skin, through to a custom diet plan based on the pet’s medical records and other information from their vet.