1C)  The increasingly important role played by animals in households has undoubtedly empowered consumers to become more proactive while taking care of their pets, with 68% of Gen Z and 69% of Millennials indicating that they consider pets as members of their family (1), a perception that enables premiumization and a focus on functionality over price. This context has empowered consumers to become "science-seekers" who demand that their pets "eat as healthy as they do," leading to a rise in demand for clean-label and functional ingredients.

However, this trend also carries risks. Pet owners may transpose their own dietary habits into their animals, such as adopting inappropriate vegetarian or vegan diets on carnivores or even administering supplements that are toxic to pets.

1D) While palatability is essential for finished products acceptance, a supplier’s primary value lies in providing a standardized active content that ensures the final product will be the same batch after batch.

Two other factors are just as critical:

Dose Flexibility:the lower the effective dose is, the easier it is to integrate into dietary regimes. Such flexibility is key to adapting the intake to the animal’s specific weight, ensuring both precision and safety for all breeds.

Safety: Ingredients must undergo rigorous assessment to ensure they are safe for the target species. This includes maintaining strict control over microbiological profiles and contaminants.

1E) Numerous pet owners today are treating their pets like family members. Because of this, they want the same high-quality products for their pets as they buy for themselves.

Premium care: people are willing to spend more on their pets than ever before. According to Mintel, about 60% of pet owners say there is no limit to what they will spend to take care of their pet’s health (2).

Preventative health: owners are mainly using supplements to prevent health problems or complications. They want to help their pets to live healthier lives from the start.

Clean label: owners want to see simple ingredients they recognize. They want the "cleanest" possible products. According to Innova Market Insights, 23% of US consumers said that the use of clean labels and natural claims influenced their purchasing decision of cat food (3).

Transparency: more than just curiosity, for modern pet owners, transparency is a matter of safety and emotional investment. Owners are seeking reassurance that the ingredients used in a supplement are high-quality, efficient, and, above all, non-toxic to their pets.

Branded botanical extracts: the shift toward branded botanical extracts reflects a broader market evolution, as pet owners increasingly prioritize plant-based and natural formulations over synthetic alternatives. According to Future Market Insights, this demand is a primary driver of market growth (4). The report suggests that there is a growth of plant-based and natural formulations and a strong presence of premium European brands in the pet dietary supplement market (4).

1L) Definitely. We're seeing a massive shift toward healthy aging and longevity rather than just basic care. It’s not just about adding years to a pet's life, but making sure those years are high quality. Mintel reports growing consumer interest in longevity-related benefits, including joint mobility, cognitive health, digestive comfort, and oxidative stress management, particularly as the pet population ages (5).

4A) The long-term credibility and success of the pet supplements sector will depend on its ability to move toward greater scientific validation, clearer claims, and higher ingredient quality standards. A better alignment between marketing messages and scientific reality will be essential to convince pet owners.

Education will also play a key role here. We need to get brands, vets, and pet owners on the same page, so everyone views supplements and nutraceuticals as an interesting piece of a pet’s overall diet and wellbeing.

4B) The single most impactful change for the industry would be the standardization of validated claims. In the human nutraceutical market, ingredient benefits are clearly defined and supported by authorized claims. Bringing this same level of scientific rigor to the pet sector is essential for long-term credibility. Ultimately, consumers need to understand—without the guesswork—exactly which ingredients do what for their pets.