In the general perception of the market, energy conservation and carbon reduction are more in line with energy, heavy industry and other industries, but not much related to the pet industry. But in fact, with the continuous and substantial growth of the number of pets dominated by dogs and cats in the world, the whole chain of the pet industry has had an impact on carbon emissions that cannot be ignored.
Taking the pet food subdivision as an example, in the book "Time to Eat the Dog?" co-authored by Brenda and Robert · Val, it is mentioned that the average annual carbon emission of a pet dog consuming meat is twice as high as driving an SUV for 10,000 kilometers. And if United States pet cats and dogs are set up as a separate country, then this country can rank fifth in the world in terms of meat consumption, second only to Russia, Brazil, United States, and China.
More specifically, a 2017 study in the United States showed that 160 million pet dogs and cats in the United States are responsible for 25% to 30% of the environmental impact of meat consumed in the United States; According to a 2022 study by the University of Edinburgh, pet food emits between 56 million and 151 million tonnes of carbon per year, equivalent to one-sixth of the global carbon emissions from flights.
Corresponding to the background of this era, it is the awakening of the consciousness and cognitive upgrading of global pet users. For example, according to Euromonitor International's Global Lifestyle Survey, nearly 70% of pet owners are "concerned about climate change" and "trying to make a positive impact on the environment through their daily actions".
According to a recent survey on the pet industry commissioned by Ipsos commissioned by Mars, 45% of consumers will give priority to pet food with sustainably sourced ingredients, and 41% of consumers prefer sustainable household cleaning products. In addition, according to market research firm FMCG Gurus, more than 42% of pet owners want to buy pet food formulas that contain sustainably sourced ingredients.
The upgrading of the concept of pet users has naturally prompted pet companies to take more actions in promoting sustainable development and achieving the goal of "carbon neutrality".
Take Royal Pet Food, the world's leading pet food brand, for example, which has taken the lead in committing to carbon neutrality by 2025. To this end, Royal has adopted internationally recognized PAS2060 carbon neutrality standards, regularly and transparently reported on implementation progress, and developed a comprehensive plan to address environmental challenges, including the use of renewable electricity, the procurement of sustainable raw materials, the reduction of waste output to promote circularity, and the transformation of climate-smart businesses.
In the domestic market, many pet companies represented by major pet listed companies and leaders in subdivided fields are also moving towards the direction of "carbon neutrality". For example, Petit Co., Ltd. has reached a cooperation with Shell China, which is committed to the construction of zero-carbon factories, the implementation of energy-saving and consumption-reducing projects, the exploration of broader and deeper cooperation opportunities in the direction of FMCG retail and energy transformation, and the joint exploration and formulation of "zero-carbon factory" standards for the pet food industry.
In the view of pet industry observation, achieving the goal of "carbon neutrality" may be far more important for the future development of Chinese pet companies than imagined.
Why? Because according to the International Energy Agency (IEA), global carbon dioxide emissions hit a record high of 37.4 billion tons in 2023. Among them, China's carbon dioxide emissions reached 12.6 billion tons, the largest increase in carbon emissions in the world, and the global share of more than 30% all year round.
The reason behind this must be familiar to everyone. As the "world's factory" and the world's core supply chain base, the continent is mainly driven by the growth and development of the economy by an industrialized society. It is also due to the influence of the industrialization system and industrial structure that many industries with low product value but high energy consumption and high carbon dioxide emissions have become a choice.
However, with the development of technology and the improvement of resource utilization, since the 14th Five-Year Plan, "carbon neutrality" has become an important strategic goal of national development and a key driving force for economic and social system change. This also indicates that the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure and the elimination of production capacity with high energy consumption and low output will be the key problems that the whole industry will face first.
Therefore, the pet industry observes that for Chinese pet companies that are famous for their "foundry supply chain", the goal and certification of "carbon neutrality" may not help enterprises become the leader of the segmented track, but it may be the core factor that determines whether they can stand on the table of future market competition.
As for how to reduce carbon emissions in a green way, achieve sustainable development and "carbon neutrality" goals, and then complete production capacity upgrades, market demand and practical factors also need to be considered. For example, in the pet products segment, the 3R environmental protection concept of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) has become the focus of players in the pet products track.
In the pet food track, the concepts of "precision nutrition" and "scientific feeding" are advanced, and in a certain way, they are also contributing to the green and sustainable development of the pet food industry. Many studies have pointed out that the excessive meat and protein content beyond the standard provides far more nutrients than cats and dogs need for their daily activities. This excess source of nutrients is one of the important reasons for increasing carbon emissions in the pet industry.
In addition, overnutrition will further lead to obesity, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, urinary tract infections and other diseases, which will not only increase the cost of pet owners, but also produce additional carbon emissions for subsequent medical treatment and care.
In addition, a more diverse source of sustainable ingredients is also an important factor in driving pet food companies to achieve their "carbon neutrality" goals. For example, a 2019 study in The Lancet concluded that turning pets to plant-based foods could help reduce "the negative impacts associated with climate change, land system change, freshwater use, nitrogen and phosphorus cycling, and biodiversity loss."
Studies have also shown that insect-based pet food will not only significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also provide pets with a protein-rich diet that is more commercially viable. For example, an acre of land can produce only about 192 pounds of beef, but 65,000 pounds of crickets or 130,000 pounds of blackfly larvae.
This is one of the reasons why Pet Industry Watch has repeatedly mentioned the importance of new sources of pet food raw materials. As for how the trend of "carbon neutrality" and sustainable development will develop in the pet industry in the future, the pet industry observation will also continue to pay attention. For those who are interested in this topic, please leave a message in the comment area below to discuss, or add a small editor to communicate on WeChat.