While prices of the total pet category have risen 10.6% year-over-year, certain elements of this category are driving higher prices. Pet supplies and accessories are up by 5.7%, which is more in line with other necessities. However, pet food prices have risen by 13.8%, partly because pet food manufacturers still haven't been able to expand their production enough to meet consumer demand.
In turn, manufacturer demand on ingredients and packaging raises the cost of making pet food, some of which gets passed on to consumers, the Star Tribune in Minnesota reported.
In response, owners have tried to look at less expensive options. Shelley DiGiovanni of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, recently switched dog food brands. The stay-at-home parent of two children under 2 and two dogs ages 8 and 15 saw the price of her dog food—30 pounds every three weeks—climb a few dollars at every shipment. It ultimately cost $20 more per order, "with no end to the rise in sight," said DiGiovanni.
Pet services are also up 5.6%, leaving pet owners, including paralegal Whitney Freemesser of Irondequoit, New York, to spend more. Freemesser now pays a sticker price 84% higher ($29.27) than in December 2020 for trimming her cat Penelope's claws every six weeks.
Demand for pet goods and services soared commensurately during the pandemic, which put pressure on prices in all areas of pet care—especially veterinarian care. Prices for veterinarian care have risen 19.2% from May 2021 to May 2023, according to pet industry expert John Gibbons, which has pushed owners to get creative about their pet's health care without compromising quality.
Charlotte Jackson of Rochester, Michigan, follows her pet allergist's advice and goes to a regular veterinarian for her pet cat Abby's tests for a less expensive bill. Jackson can also email her allergist with questions and photos between regular appointments, which saves her money on follow-up appointments.