India’s pet care market to see steady growth to $7 billion market
People around the world love their furry companions – and India is no different. The market for pet care in India, though well behind other major leaders like the US and Germany, is expected to grow steadily. That is according to analysis from Redseer Strategy Consultants.
The pet care market includes a relatively wide range of categories like pet food, toys and other accessories, grooming, and other pet-related services. Services and products for dogs and cats constitute, of course, the main segments of the pet care market.
In India, there has been a shift in the mindset on pet ownership that has already been seen in other, mostly Western countries: the shift from being a pet owner to being more of a pet ‘parent’. With that shift, pets are treated and pampered more, which means more spending in the sector.
Spending on pets and pet care in India has reached a record $3.6 billion in 2024, up significantly from only $1.6 billion in 2019. That breaks down to 48% spending on products and the other 52% on services. Redseer Strategy Consultants projects the market will continue to grow to at least $7 billion by 2028.
Some of that growth is related to new and emerging pet care products and services like pet boarding, pet insurance, and other options that are still novelties in India. Younger Gen Z pet owners have shown a more sophisticated approach to pet care, with more grooming and vet check-ups.
Pet ownership in India is still way behind other countries. The United States, for example, has more than 10 times the number of pets per household. Germany has the second most pets per household globally.
The total pet population in India is currently around 4% to 5% higher than it was in 2019. Some of the uptick in pet ownership is linked to the pandemic, when there were many cases of stray adoptions and pet rescues, driven by the many people that sought companionship during lockdowns.
A major part of the upcoming growth in the pet care industry will be the explosion of ecommerce in India. Indeed, up to now, pet products and services that were accessed online account for 6% to 8% of the total market value in 2024.
The landscape for online pet care products and services in India is dominated by new age players that offer a mix of products and services for pets, said the report. Indian pet owners can now connect with these new companies to access grooming, veterinary care, pet training, and products like food and toys.
While most pet products and services are still accessed offline, the Redseer analysis shows that ecommerce pet care players have managed to carve out an impressive 20% of the market for pet accessories and 16% of the market for food and treats.
At a global scale, the pet industry is expected to grow from $320 billion today to reach around $500 billion in 2030, according to report from Bloomberg Intelligence. The US is (and is expected to continue being) the global leader in both the number of pets and the overall pet care market value.