China Pet Consumption Moves From Feeding to Health and Care

Photo by Samuel Ferrara on Unsplash

Summary

China’s pet economy is rapidly shifting from basic feeding to health-focused and precision care, with 618 e-commerce data showing elderly cat prescription food sales surging nearly 80% and elderly cat wet food jumping over 300%, while traditional staple pet food’s share of total spending dropped five percentage points. Industry analysts note the transition reflects a lifecycle approach to pet care, with spending migrating towards age-specific functional food, joint and heart supplements, and premium cat litter, while the service economy of pet health management, online consultations and end-of-life care is emerging as a high-growth frontier.

Summary in Chinese

中国宠物经济正从基础喂养快速转向健康精细护理，618电商数据显示老年猫处方粮销量增长近80%，老年猫主食罐暴增超300%，而传统主粮消费占比下降5个百分点。行业分析认为这反映了宠物全生命周期养护理念的兴起，消费正向分龄功能粮、关节和心脏保健品及高端猫砂迁移，同时宠物在线健康管理、远程问诊和善后服务等宠物服务经济正成为高增长前沿。

Comment

New Zealand’s natural pet food and supplement producers are well positioned to capitalise on this upgrade cycle, particularly given Chinese consumers’ strong association of NZ-origin with clean, safe ingredients. The explosive growth in elderly pet prescriptions and functional supplements signals that Chinese pet owners are actively seeking science-backed, ingredient-transparent products rather than marketing-led brands. NZ exporters should consider developing age-specific and condition-specific product lines — joint health, renal support, or anti-inflammatory formulas — and invest in clinical trial evidence that resonates with the increasingly research-literate Chinese pet consumer.

Comment in Chinese

新西兰天然宠物食品和补充剂生产商处于有利位置，可充分利用这一消费升级周期，特别是中国消费者对新西兰原产地与清洁安全成分的强烈联想。老年宠物处方粮和功能性补充品的爆发式增长表明，中国宠物主人正在积极寻找有科学依据、成分透明的产品，而非营销驱动的品牌。新西兰出口商应考虑开发分龄和分症产品线——关节健康、肾脏支持或抗炎配方——并投资临床试验证据，以迎合日益具备研究素养的中国宠物消费者。