Food for thought

Abstract

There is little previous research on pet food purchasing in New Zealand, which is surprising given the large number of cats and dogs in New Zealand households, and the increasing value of the pet food market. Approximately 68% of New Zealand households include pets, meaning there are more pets than humans, and the country has the highest per capita rate of cat ownership in the world (NZCAC, 2011). In this article we describe New Zealand pet owners and identify which attributes are important to them when they consider pet food, and we also assess other aspects of their pet food purchasing behaviour.