Dublin, Aug. 24, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 2nd Edition" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

Pet marketers looking to tap into pet parenting dollars are on fertile ground when it comes to dog and cat treats and chews. Pet owners grab up treats and chews for many reasons: health-related, as is the case with dental treats and those formulated to address a specific condition or enhance general wellness; for entertainment, as with edible long-lasting chews or with treats inserted into a play-inducing dispenser; or training, as is the case with compact, easily pocketable treats used as a reward for good behavior. At the same time - and top of list for many pet owners - treats offer away to interact with their pets and express affection, with treat time serving an important role in the human/animal bond.

Whatever the mix of motivations, treats are firmly entrenched in the pet products pantheon, with the author's survey results indicating that 92% of dog owners and 80% of cat owners have purchased treats in the past 12 months. During 2017, sales are expected to hit $6.4 billion at retail, with this category continuing to out-perform the overall pet food market while following many of the same paths, including humanization, natural, grain-free, limited ingredient, made in the USA, functional ingredients, and exotic proteins. "Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S., 2nd Edition" provides detailed analysis of the types of treats and chews currently in high demand, and examines how marketers are responding to make or break issues including product safety and transparency.

As in the pet food market, health and wellness concerns are a primary driver, with more and more pet owners turning to functional treats for health conditions that are often age- or weight-related, including joint/mobility, skin/coat and cognitive. Additionally, as the chews segment recovers from the wave of recalls in recent years, consumers are looking for options with simpler and fewer ingredients and demanding transparency when it comes to ingredient sourcing. At the same time, dental treats and chews remain highly popular, with a host of new products recently hitting store shelves.

Building on analysis presented in the previous edition of this report, this fully updated second edition of Pet Treats and Chews in the U.S. covers historical and projected retail sales estimates from 2012 through 2021, competitive strategies of key players, and trends in new product development. The report also examines retail trends including the impact of the e-commerce boom and the pet specialty vs. mass retail divide (recently thrust into the spotlight with Blue Buffalo's cross-over), and the snowballing effect of Millennials as the largest generation of pet owners.

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Market Trends
- Market Definition
- Five Product Categories
- Report Methodology
- Market Size and Composition
- Market Drivers

Competitive Trends
- Competitive Overview
- Market Leaders
- Marketing Trends
- The Retail Landscape

Marketing And New Product Trends
- Treats and Chews Follow Pet Food Trends
- Natural and Organic Treats
- Humanization
- Dental Treats and Chews
- Functional Treats
- Grain-Free Treats
- Exotic Protein Treats Provide Variety, Allergy Relief
- Special Diet Treats Target Pet Aging, Obesity, and Sizes
- Limited Ingredient Diets
- Raw Treats Part of the Raw Food Movement
- Trends in Long-Lasting Edible Chews
- Novel Formats
- Trends in Cat Treats

Consumer Trends
- Treats and Chews Second Only to Food Among Purchases
- Dog Owners Out-Purchase Cat Owners Across All Treat/Chew Types
- Mixed Patterns for Specialty Formulations
- Usage Patterns by Shape and Type
- Purchasing Patterns by Targeted Health Formulation
- Treat Purchases More Impulse Purchase Than Other Products
- Dog Ownership Growth Means More Treat-Buying Households
- Overall Demographics of Dog and Cat Treat Purchasers
- Purchasing Patterns for Dog Treat Brands
- Purchasing Patterns for Cat Treat Brands

Insights And Opportunities
- Opportunity 1-Marketing on product healthfulness and safety
- Opportunity 2-Providing multi-functional products
- Opportunity 3-Focusing on transparency and clean label products
- Opportunity 4-Taking advantage of e-commerce boom
- Opportunity 5- Moving beyond the impulse purchase
- Opportunity 6-Promoting sustainability and corporate responsibility

Chapter 2: Market Trends

Introduction
- Market Definition
- Five Product Categories
- Other Marketing Classifications
- Report Methodology

Market Size And Composition
- U.S. Retail Sales Recover Momentum
- Sales by Distribution Channel

Market Drivers
- Treats and Chews Serve Many Functions
- Treats Market Still on Alert from Recalls
- Safety and Transparency Top List of Concerns
- Pets as Family
- Health and Wellness Trend Driven by Humanization, Millennials

Pet Market Macrotrends
- E-Commerce Impacting Entire Pet Industry
- Superpremium Diluted by Mainstream Imitators
- Small Dogs Rule, But Medium Sizes Rebound
- Weighty Issues

Looking Ahead
Steady Sales Gains Through 2021

Chapter 3: Competitive Trends

Competitive Overview
- Market Structure And Retail Dynamics
- M&A And Investment Activity
- Expansions And Rebranding Efforts
- Legal Action

Market Leaders
- Mass market Treat Sales Controlled by Big Three
- Top Brands in Pet Specialty
- Brand Loyalty

Marketing Trends
- Growing Demand for Clean Label Products
- Sustainability, Corporate Responsibility, and Green Practices
- Noteworthy Videos Fuel Consumer Interest

The Retail Landscape
- Private-Label Treats Holding Steady
- Walmart, PetSmart and Supermarkets Lead in Treat Purchases
- Internet Sales Changing Pet Retail from Ground Up

Chapter 4: Marketing & New Product Trends

Trends In Treats And Chews
- Treats and Chews Follow Pet Food Trends
- Natural and Organic Treats
- Humanization
- Dental Treats and Chews
Functional Treats
Grain-Free Treats
Special Diet Treats Target Pet Aging, Obesity, and Sizes
Limited Ingredient Diets
Raw Treats Part of the Raw Food Movement
Trends in Long-Lasting Edible Chews
Novel Formats
Trends in Cat Treats

Chapter 5: Consumer Trends

Overview Of Purchasing Patterns
- Treats and Chews Second Only to Food Among Purchases
- Dog Owners Out-Purchase Cat Owners Across All Treat/Chew Types
- Mixed Patterns for Specialty Formulations
- Usage Patterns by Shape and Type
- Usage Patterns by Size of Dog
- Purchasing Patterns by Targeted Health Formulation
- Treat Purchases More Impulse Purchase Than Other Products
- Dog Ownership Growth Means More Treat-Buying Households
Treat Usage by Number of Pets
Overall Demographics of Dog and Cat Treat Purchasers
Purchasing Patterns For Dog Treat Brands
- Milk-Bone and Beggin' Line Vie for Top Spot
- Pedigree Dentastix, Beggin' Strips Lead in Customer Base Growth
- Consumer Purchasing Patterns by Brand
Purchasing Patterns For Cat Treat Brands
- Whiskas Temptations Leads in Share and Growth in Consumer Base
Brand Usage Growth Rates
Consumer Purchasing Patterns by Brand

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/z9mjvb/pet_treats_and

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