As pets evolve from "companions" to "fur babies" in families, the consumer market surrounding them continues to expand. Among them, the pet products market is emerging as a new growth driver in the consumer market, driven by emotional needs and upgraded consumption concepts.
According to data from the "2025 China Pet Industry White Paper" and the China Commercial Industry Research Institute, the scale of China's pet products market is expected to exceed 55 billion yuan in 2025, maintaining a steady growth momentum compared with 51.3 billion yuan in 2024. Globally, the pet products market is projected to reach 35 billion US dollars in 2025 and further surpass 250 billion US dollars by 2030, with emerging markets contributing more than 50% to this growth <superscript>1. Behind these figures lies the emotional projection of pet owners and a profound shift in consumption concepts.
Growth Drivers: Expanding Pet Population & Upgraded Per-Pet Consumption
The expansion of the pet population lays the foundation for market growth. In 2024, the number of urban dogs and cats in China exceeded 124 million, and the household pet ownership rate rose from 17.8% in 2020 to 25.3%. Third and fourth-tier cities have become the main engine of market growth with a 23.5% growth rate, as more families are willing to accept pets as family members, providing a huge user base for the pet products market.
However, the core growth logic lies in the upgrade of per-pet consumption. In 2025, the annual per-pet consumption in China reached 6,280 yuan, an increase of 29% compared with 2020. Pet owners have shifted from the basic demand of "feeding pets" to the quality demand of "providing a better life for pets" <superscript>1. This change is closely linked to the younger and more educated pet-owning group—Gen Z, as the main force of pet owners, tends to choose cost-effective and functional products, driving the market from "quantity" to "quality" upgrading.
Market Structure: Diversified Segments Driven by Quality Demand
The change in demand is directly reflected in the structure of the pet products market, with three key segments leading the growth:
Pet Food: Core Pillar with High-End & Functional Trends
As the core pillar of the pet products market, the scale of pet food is expected to exceed 100 billion yuan in 2025, dominating the market. Among them, high-end main foods such as baked food and freeze-dried food, as well as functional foods for gastrointestinal regulation and senior pets, have achieved a growth rate of over 100%. Leading domestic enterprises have seized market share through R&D and supply chain advantages—GuaiBao Pet achieved 3.221 billion yuan in H1 2025 revenue with a 32.72% growth rate, while Zhongchong Co., Ltd. grew 24.32% in revenue to 2.432 billion yuan.
Pet Care Products: Intelligent Devices Boost Penetration
The scale of the pet care products market is expected to exceed 50 billion yuan. Sales of smart devices such as automatic litter boxes and automatic feeders increased by 120% year-on-year in 2024, with a penetration rate of over 35% in first-tier cities. These products solve the pain points of pet owners who cannot take care of their pets or clean the pet environment, making pet keeping easier.
Pet Clothing & Accessories: Luxury Products Penetrate Middle Class
The market scale of pet clothing and accessories exceeds 30 billion yuan. From warm winter clothes to personalized trendy clothing, even luxury pet products such as Hermès dog bowls and LV dog houses have begun to penetrate from high-net-worth groups to the new middle class, reflecting the emotional value of pet consumption.
Regional Differences: Diverse Growth Patterns Across Global Markets
Regional market differences have shaped distinct growth patterns in the global pet products market:
North America: The world's largest pet products market, with a scale of 157 billion US dollars in 2025. Local Gen Z pet owners are willing to pay a 20%-50% premium for "time-saving and health-protecting" products, with smart devices and organic food as the main consumption categories. A Petkit AI automatic feeder sold over 1 million units annually in North America.
Southeast Asia: A new blue ocean with an annual growth rate of over 30%. Local pet owners are mainly young office workers who prefer affordable essential products priced between 5-30 US dollars. Sales of cleaning kits and portable cages are growing rapidly.
China: Characterized by the rise of sinking markets and accelerated domestic substitution. Pet consumption growth in third-tier cities exceeds that in first-tier cities. Domestic brands such as GuaiBao (MaiFudi) and Zhongchong are seizing mid-to-high-end market share through local supply chains and R&D investment—GuaiBao's market share jumped from 2.4% in 2015 to 6.2%.
Conclusion: Pet Products as Carriers of Emotional Companionship
The growth of the pet products market is never a single scale expansion, but a concrete manifestation of pet-keeping culture. When people are willing to pay for their pets' food, daily necessities and every move, pet products are no longer just commodities, but carriers of emotional companionship. In this 100-billion-scale market, there lies an increasingly close bond between humans and pets, as well as a warm new trend in the consumer market.
Looking forward, driven by factors such as supply chain restructuring, technological innovation, and the integration of silver economy and sinking markets, the pet products industry will move towards a more mature and prosperous stage.
