A Peaceful Farewell
  • Home
  • The Decision
  • What to Expect
  • Services & Fees
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Additional Services
  • Pet Loss Support
  • Pet Memorials
  • Testimonials
  • The PAW Blog
  • FAQ
  • Home
  • The Decision
  • What to Expect
  • Services & Fees
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Additional Services
  • Pet Loss Support
  • Pet Memorials
  • Testimonials
  • The PAW Blog
  • FAQ

To the Dogs: China's New Passion for Pets Is Big Business

6/8/2015

0 Comments

 
Shanghai bank employee Frances Chen spends about a fifth of her monthly salary on her poodle Cookie, one of the millions of pet owners turning China's pet care industry into one of the fastest growing in the world.

Chen takes Cookie to a groomer for a weekly shower and feeds it imported food, costing her some 2,000 yuan ($320) a month. "I want to give him the best," said the single 26-year-old who lives with her parents. "He's our kid. The only difference is that he can't speak human languages."

Once banned by Communist leader Chairman Mao Zedong as a bourgeois pastime, having a pet has now become a symbol of financial success in China, where consultants Euromonitor forecast the pet care sector to grow by more than half to 15.8 billion yuan ($2.6 billion) by 2019, outpacing the world's biggest market the United States, which is expected to grow just over 4 percent this year to $60.6 billion.

The prospects have multinationals such as Mars Inc, Nestle S.A., Procter & Gamble Co and Colgate-Palmolive Co licking their lips, especially as growth in the overall retail market slows along with the world's second largest economy.

Dogs are by far the most popular pets and dog food sales alone are expected to almost triple to over $760 million by 2019, Euromonitor data shows, as higher disposable incomes make keeping a pet an affordable luxury for more Chinese, particularly in more developed cities.

The loneliness and stress endemic to city life are also driving the pet ownership boom: last year, some 30 million households, or nearly 7 percent of the nationwide total, owned a dog, Euromonitor said.

Matthias Berninger, Mars global head of public affairs, said there was plenty of room for growth in China's pet food market, which was already expanding beyond most industry expectations. "Pet food penetration in China is very, very low," he told Reuters. "People didn't believe chocolate would ever be something Chinese consumers would like, let alone that Chinese consumers would become passionate pet owners."

The U.S. firm renowned for its confectionery owns pet food brands including Pedigree and Whiskas. Mars was the market leader in China two years ago with a two-thirds share, according to the latest Euromonitor data. Nestle-owned brands were second with just over 16 percent followed by local firm Nory Pet (Shanghai) Co Ltd with an almost 7 percent share.

"There is huge demand for pet food as owners give up feeding their dog rice and meat and switch to proper pet food," Chen Xiuqiang, sales manager at pet food importer and distributor Guangzhou Mudi Trading Co Ltd told Reuters.

A woman takes a picture with her pet dog at a shopping mall in Beijing, in this November 25, 2014 file photo. Kim Kyung Hoon / Reuters
In addition to branded food, more Chinese are paying top yuan for pedigree dog breeds such as Tibetan mastiffs, and the services and accessories they think these prized pets deserve. "In big cities like Shanghai, many people feel lonely and treat pets like family," said pet groomer Zhao Huanhuan.

"People are now willing to spend on their pets as much as they are willing to spend on their parents." Beijing pet photographer Yipets offers clients packages - including pet costumes and styling - that range from 388 yuan to 8,888 yuan ($63-$1,430) while a one-month dog training course at JinJiaJun Kennel can cost 5,000 yuan.

Luxury retailers are also benefiting. U.S. firm Chrome Bones, which opened its first China franchise in Shanghai in September, said sales have risen by up to 40 percent a month. The brand specializes in Swarovski-crystal encrusted pet collars that cost some $260, snakeskin carriers that start at $3,800 and patent leather beds and bowls.

"The prospects are very good," said shop owner Chen Yinfeng. Pet pampering has also become big business. Cole Zhang, who owns Blue Bone near Shanghai's Bund, offers to chauffeur canine clients in a Ferarri or a Maserati, a service he said costs up to 500 yuan a kilometer and is often booked out.

"On average, we have more than 100 clients a week. We usually work overtime on weekends," he added. "Most of my customers treat their dogs very well and they are willing to spend a lot on their dogs."

Source: NBC News / REUTERS

A Peaceful Farewell provides compassionate at home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    The PAW Blog...
    For the LOVE of Pets
    The goal of this blog is to help educate pet owners by sharing pet health facts and pet news articles...and ... sometimes put a smile on your face with a cute or funny pet story! 

    Categories

    All
    Animal World Records
    Behavior
    Cat FAQ
    Cat Health
    Celebrity Pets
    Cute Pet Pics
    Cute Pet Stories
    Dog Health
    Dogs FAQ
    Dogs - FAQ
    Farm Animals
    Featured Breeds
    Fish And Exotic Pets
    Funny Pet Pictures
    Funny Pet Stuff
    Gift Ideas
    Health Alerts
    Holistic Pet Care
    Lost And Found AZ Pets
    Nutrition
    People & Pets
    Pet Adoption
    Pet Books
    Pet Facts
    Pet Gadgets & Supplies
    Pet Loss
    Pet Names
    Pet News
    Pet Nutrition
    Pet Of The Week
    Pet Poisons FAQ
    Pet Polls
    Pet Recipes
    Pet Rescue
    Pets With Cancer
    Pet Technology
    Pet Training
    Pet Travel
    Pet Trivia
    Pet Videos
    Pocket Pets
    Poisonous Plants
    Quick Tips
    Rainbow Bridge
    Recalls
    Research News
    Upcoming Local Pet Events
    Veterinary FAQ
    Weird Pet Stuff
    Wildlife

    Archives

    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    September 2019
    August 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    August 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    February 2018
    September 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014

    Search for any topic...

    RSS Feed

Providing compassionate in-home pet euthanasia to fellow pet owners in Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Scottsdale, and most of the Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area
(480) 760-5896
email: [email protected]
Picture


Proud Member of the American Veterinary Medical Association

Picture


Proud Member of the AZ Pet Professionals