Three Ways to Win Pet Owners Over through Colour
According to the American Pet Products Association (APPA), pet ownership has displayed a consistent upward trend for more than two decades, with the number of dog and cat owners leading the way. An interesting shift in the pet food industry is owners’ eagerness to buy pet products that reflect their own eating habits, wellness decisions and overall lifestyle. It’s no longer a surprise that today’s consumers are wary of artificial ingredients like synthetic colours when it comes to the food and treats they give their four-legged family members. Natural positioning resonates better with most shoppers these days, and up to 74% admit they are more likely to purchase a brand that converts to colour from botanical sources according to Sensient’s 2018 H&W Survey. Consumers are additionally taking the time to scan ingredient lists on products for their furry family members. While natural ingredients like fruit and vegetable juices for colour can help win consumers over, what’s even more compelling for pet food developers are the results of Sensient’s recent consumer research concluding the correlation of colour to perceived positive health benefits in pet food.THREE COLOUR INSIGHTS FROM OUR PET FOOD RESEARCH
1. Consumers associated superior nutritional quality with colour variety.
2. Brands looking to communicate different functionality claims should not underestimate the power of colour on consumer perception.
Multi-coloured dry pet food outscored brown kibble three to one in all of the wellness attributes tested.
3. Dry pet food containing multi-coloured bits and pieces was perceived as the most appealing. This consumer perception is most likely due to the healthy connection to pet superfood ingredients that are bold, bright colours.
When these bold, bright colours are associated with great health benefits and superfoods, it’s easy to re-imagine kibbles and treats in a whole new way, especially in this booming market space.
