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Press Release Archives | Owners Follow Dog's Lead When Buying Pet Food
For Immediate Release November 3, 2003
Contact: Cristi Allen
callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 817-640-6166
Owners Follow Dog's Lead When Buying Pet Food, Decision Analyst, Inc. Survey
Finds
ARLINGTON, Texas—Dogs are the true masters of their households when it comes
time to choose pet food, according to a nationwide survey by Decision Analyst,
Inc., a marketing research and marketing consulting firm. The humans may be the
ones spending the money, but the survey (conducted among a nationally
representative sample of 6,167 dog owners) found that it's the pet's taste buds
that ultimately decide which brand prevails.
The survey respondents indicated that the primary factor determining a purchase
decision is that "the dog likes it" (34 percent of respondents). The
closely related factor of prior experience accounted for another fifth of
respondents' purchases. Cost is rarely an overriding consideration (just 8
percent of those surveyed considered it important). Far more significant are
the ingredients (17 percent) and the perceived quality of the product and brand
(16 percent).
"As many dog owners already know, keeping a dog is not cheap," said
Decision Analyst, Inc. Vice President Bruce Crandall, who supervised the study.
"Owners just aren't prepared to cut corners when it comes to their pet's
food&$151and that's sensible because most pets just won't eat what they don't
like."
"The purchasing patterns of owners is very good news for the premium brands
such as Hill's Science Diet and Eukanuba," continued Crandall. "They
clearly have the potential to increase their market share if they can expand
their distribution channels. On the other hand, the other major brands would be
well advised to focus their efforts on increasing their product quality (or
perceived quality) and brand image."
Methodology
The results are based on a nationally representative survey conducted recently
online among 6,167 dog owners, which was referenced with Census Bureau data for
gender, age, geography, marital status, presence of children, and income. The
study's margin of error is plus or minus one percent. Survey respondents were
members of Decision Analyst's American Consumer Opinion� Online panel, one of
the largest consumer panels in the world, which includes over 3.5 million
consumers. The survey was open to adult consumers in the U.S.
Detailed findings: More information from the study,
including detailed data breakdowns, is available online.
For additional information contact:
Cristi Allen
Publicity
Email: callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 1.800.ANALYSIS (262.5974)
Address: 604 Avenue H East
Arlington, TX 76011
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