Dog owners drive online pet product sales, spending $20bn

Rakshnna Pattabiraman

26th Aug 2022

Australian dog owners are investing heavily in their four-legged companions driving online sales by almost 50 per cent in the past year, according to new data.

Shared by third-party logistics provider Estore Logistics and premium dog food brand Petzyo ahead of International Dog Day on August 26, the data shows pet owners shopped for a range of sustainable and nutrient-dense superfoods and designer wear products along with accessories like collars and leads.

According to Animal Medicines Australia, dog owners spent $20.5 billion last year alone.

Petzyo founder, David Latimer, said the demand for gourmet treats is largely “fuelled” by a growing number of health-conscious Gen Z and millennial dog owners in Australia.

“The huge spike in demand for our superfood dry food range year-on-year is driven by pet owners who are more conscious about what ingredients go into their pet food, with a strong preference for sustainable and natural options.”

Between July and December last year, sales of Petzyo’s Salmon & Oceanfish dry food surged 318 per cent, and of its Chicken & Turkey dry food by 232.

The company says online sales have jumped 77 per cent between January and July this year. The retailer revealed that dogs with “better taste buds” than others included cavoodles, staffies, golden retrievers and labradors.

Paul Sciberras, director of Estore commercial solutions, said the spike in sales can be attributed to pet adoptions during Covid and people spending more time with their dogs now.

“With traditional retail stores closed during lockdowns, dog owners became more accustomed to buying for their pets online. This trend shows no signs of slowing down, particularly as we know dog owners will look for any excuse to pamper their pups.”