When pets become premium customers
The pet care industry in India is experiencing a significant shift toward premiumization as owners increasingly prioritize high-end food and insurance for their pets. This trend, which accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, reflects a broader change in consumer behavior where pet care is viewed as an essential, rather than indulgent, expense.
Why it matters
The growth of the premium pet-care market indicates a rising middle-class disposable income and a fundamental shift in domestic consumer spending habits in India.
Bella gives the bowl a doubtful look. She takes a hesitant sniff of the pedigree food “served” before her, turns away and tosses it aside with immense disapproval.
For Tanvi, a journalist based in Bengaluru, this has become a familiar routine. Her Persian cat, Bella, refuses regular Pedigree cat food and waits impatiently for the more expensive fare to arrive in her bowl—the one that, apparently, smells right.
Bella’s preference is more than a fussy pet’s eating habit. It reflects a broader shift taking place in the pet-care market, where pet owners are increasingly willing to pay a premium for products they believe are better suited to their animals.
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