The South African pet landscape has transitioned from a grocery side-aisle to a sophisticated, high-growth strategic priority for pet FMCG brands and retailers. Valued at R10.4bn and growing +15.8% in 2025,¹ the market is currently defined by a distinct tension between deep emotional investment and the relentless economic pressure facing South African pet owners.

According to Trade Intelligence’s inaugural South African Pet FMCG Landscape Report, household pets sit at the intersection of emotional spending, premiumisation, health, convenience, and loyalty — making the category a critical battleground for retailers, brands, and investors alike. 

As major retailers look for growth and value beyond the traditional store model, the pet category has emerged as one of the most dynamic and competitive spaces in retail. Understanding the evolution of pet retail offers important insight into the future direction of consumer behaviour and retail strategy. 

Key trends revealed by the report include:

Humanisation: Pets as Family

The core driver of resilience in the pet category is the fundamental shift in how South Africans view their pets. According to our research, over 98% of shoppers aged 24 and younger agree that pets are a part of their family, and as a result of this strong emotional bond, pet care has become a protected spending category.

However, this trend is balanced against a harsh macroeconomic reality – 60% to 65% of cat and dog owners spend R800 or less per month on pet food. And while pet food inflation saw some moderation over the course of 2025, prices have surged between +50% to +78%² over the last five years.

The result is that while the emotional baseline is a preference for human-grade products, the financial baseline is highly price-sensitive, forcing households to tighten their belts in other areas.

The Battle for the Bowl: A Layering Strategy

Ti’s recent survey data shows that growth in the category does not come from replacing our pet’s core meal, but, quite literally, layering other products on top of it.

The anchor food product that remains a non-negotiable purchase for both cat and dog owners is dry food, or pellets. But shoppers are increasingly using a ‘base + supplement’ strategy, adding treats, wet food or raw/fresh options to their pets’ food bowls to enhance nutrition or palatability.

Where Do Pet Owners Shop? App vs Aisle

While physical supermarkets represent the ‘go-to’ location for dog and cat food, over the last five years, there has been a deliberate and significant expansion of specialist stores by SA’s corporate grocery chains, seen in formats such as Checkers’ PetShop Science, Woolworths’ Absolute Pets, and SPAR’s Pet Storey. At the most recent count, the tally is approaching the 350-store mark across the retailers, with all our majors underlining their intention to grow their specialist pet formats further.

And, of course, the surge in digital commerce is playing a key role in pet category growth, too. Our research shows that Checkers Sixty60 has achieved 95% penetration among shoppers who buy dog food on demand, while Takealot leads online websites. The message to retailers and suppliers is clear: be everywhere your shopper is, with channel-specific roles.

Promotions, the Silver Bullet

In the increasingly competitive pet care aisle, promotions have solidified their position as the primary catalyst for purchase, serving as the market’s strongest conversion lever.

Tactical pricing and strategic promotions have become the essential battlegrounds for winning and maintaining category share, with Ti’s research suggesting that a straight percentage discount is significantly more effective than any other mechanic in winning over shoppers.

Sustaining the Wag

Ultimately, growth in the pet category is driven by so much more than just shelf presence and clever marketing, however. With pet parents increasingly viewing their animals as family, value, affordability and trusted quality remain critical in the face of rising living costs. The future of South Africa’s pet food market will be shaped by those brands and retailers which successfully balance premium aspirations with price sensitivity.

Notes: 1. Statista 2026 | 2. Stats SA

About Trade Intelligence

Trade Intelligence is South Africa’s leading source of consumer goods retail research, insights and capability-building solutions, striving to enable effective and profitable trading relationships and inform future-fit strategies. Ti’s 20+ years of expertise cover the FMCG environment, the major retail and wholesale players, the informal retail channel, as well as emerging retail and shopper trends.