What Drives Pet Food Choices? A Systematic Literature Review.

Area of Science:

• Consumer Behavior
• Pet Food Industry
• Marketing Science

Background:

• The global pet food market is rapidly expanding.
• Understanding pet owner purchasing decisions is crucial for industry stakeholders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing research on key drivers of consumer behavior in the commercial pet food market.
• To identify consistent determinants influencing pet food choices.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Analysis of 40 peer-reviewed studies published between 2006 and 2024.
• Data retrieval from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

Main Results:

• Six main categories influence purchasing behavior: intrinsic/extrinsic product characteristics, psychological, biological/physiological, sociocultural, and situational factors.
• Key determinants include product quality, ingredients, price, brand reputation, sustainability, and pet health.
• Consumer behavior in pet food is a developing field with limited cross-regional and diverse methodological studies.

Conclusions:

• Pet food purchasing decisions are multifactorial, influenced by product attributes, owner psychology, and external factors.
• Further research is needed to explore geographical variations and the interplay of sustainability, pet welfare, and owner psychology.
• The findings provide insights for pet food manufacturers and marketers to better understand and cater to consumer needs.