Panel discussion on...

Pet Supplements

Alicia Kasch¹ , Steve Peirce²
1. Vice President, RIBUS, Inc.
2. Steve Peirce, President, RIBUS, Inc.

About the Author

Member of AgroFOOD Industry Hi Tech's Scientific Advisory Board

Pet Supplements Market Trends and Insights

1C) The humanization of pets does not always lead to more informed purchasing decisions. Pet owners often rely on personal beliefs and emotions when choosing supplements for their animals, on the same basis to how they approach human supplements. As a result, expectations for pet supplement performance may be shaped more by perception and marketing than by clinical evidence, which can lead to unrealistic expectations of outcomes.

1E) As pets are increasingly viewed as members of the family, owners apply the same personal values to pet products that they apply to their own food and supplement choices for their family. These are the same values and trends that we see in human foods and nutraceuticals, so it’s no surprise they are naturally extending into pet food, treats, and supplements. These values often influence purchasing behavior across multiple categories, including household and personal care products.

3C) Yes. Consumer expectations for product quality, transparency, and safety are increasingly consistent across human and pet categories. As consumer preferences and opinions are so easily broadcast today, regulators are getting pressure from consumers as well as industry groups to remove synthetic ingredients or make packaging more sustainable or demonstrate clinical proof of efficacy. If any instances of fraud, mislabeling, or poor health outcomes associated with pet supplements occur, it is likely to accelerate demands for stronger regulatory oversight and clearer standards of evidence and labeling.

4A) Buyer education and expectation management will be critical. Consumers need clear guidance on:

What specific supplements can reasonably be expected to do for their pets
How to evaluate whether a product is effective, and over what timeframe
What forms of evidence support product claims, including observable outcomes versus those requiring veterinary or laboratory assessment

Establishing realistic expectations will be central to building long-term trust in the category.

4B) Education and expectation-setting would have the greatest impact, supported by verification that label claims accurately reflect product contents. If consumers lose trust in supplements as a category, adoption declines regardless of individual brand quality. Transparent labeling and validated product composition are therefore essential to sustaining long-term consumer confidence.

In this Panel Discussion, several prominent companies within the food and nutraceutical ingredient industry have been invited to discuss about drivers and barriers of healthy lifestyle, focusing on global and regional consumer trends, scientific achievements, emerging delivery formats, use of AI technologies and the implementation of the United Nations sustainability goals.

References and notes

References and notes

Schunck, M. , Louton, H. and Oesser, S. (2017) The Effectiveness of Specific Collagen Peptides on Osteoarthritis in Dogs-Impact on Metabolic Processes in Canine Chondrocytes. Open Journal of Animal Sciences, 7, 254-266. doi: 10.4236/ojas.2017.73020.
Koivisto et al., 2014; Siebert et al., 2010
The oral intake of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP) improves gait and quality of life in canine osteoarthritis patients—A translational large animal model for a nutritional therapy option
Dobenecker B, Böswald LF, Reese S, Steigmeier-Raith S, Trillig L, et al. (2024) The oral intake of specific Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP) improves gait and quality of life in canine osteoarthritis patients—A translational large animal model for a nutritional therapy option. PLOS ONE 19(9): e0308378. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0308378

Questions

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Ingredients companies - clinical data

A) What are the main scientific gaps that still exist in PET supplement development compared to human dietary supplements?

B) How important is species-specific research when selecting and developing active ingredients for pets? Can human data ever be sufficient?

C) Is the humanization of pets helping consumers make better-informed choices, or does it risk creating unrealistic expectations about supplement performance?

D) From an ingredient supplier’s perspective, which quality parameters (standardization, bioavailability, purity) are most critical for PET applications?

E) How are trends such as “clean label,” sustainability, and transparency influencing pet owners’ purchasing decisions in the PET supplement space?

F) What type of clinical evidence should realistically be expected to support PET supplement claims today?

G) Which types of claims are most likely to be misunderstood by consumers, and how can this risk be reduced through clearer substantiation and labeling?

H) What are the main methodological challenges in conducting clinical trials for companion animals, and how can they be addressed?

I) How reliable are owner-reported outcomes compared to veterinary assessments, and how should they be integrated into study design?

L) Have you noticed an increasing trend in the use of one (or more) ingredients for pet supplements formulated to promote healthy ageing?

Formulation

A) What are the biggest formulation challenges in PET supplements, particularly regarding palatability, stability, and dosing accuracy?

B) How do formulation choices (e.g., chews, powders, liquids) influence compliance and consistent use from a consumer perspective?

C) Do you see a shift toward simpler, single-ingredient formulations, or are multi-active blends still the dominant approach? Why?

D) How do species differences (dogs vs cats, size, age) influence formulation strategies?

E) Omega 3 alternatives for pet nutrition and sustainability: how do the innovative omega-3s for pet food stack up against their traditional fishy counterparts?

Regulation

A) How do regulatory frameworks for PET supplements differ between the EU and the US, and what challenges do these differences create for global brands?

B) Which types of claims represent the highest regulatory risk today, and which are more likely to be acceptable if properly substantiated?

C) Do you expect regulatory oversight of PET supplements to become stricter in the coming years? Why or why not?

D) What role should veterinarians play in guiding pet owners’ choices regarding PET supplements, and how can trust between brands, vets, and consumers be strengthened?

Open questions

A) Looking ahead 5–10 years, what will be the key factors determining the credibility and long-term success of the PET supplements sector?

B) In your view, what single change—scientific, regulatory, or educational—would most improve consumer trust in PET supplements over the next decade?

References and notes

Panelists