Food MArketing & Technology In India CC for web-HIgh Res | Page 16

Pet Food Market
CHANGING PREFERENCES FROM
PACKAGED FOOD TO
NATURAL FOOD FOR PETS
By Priyanka Tanwar*
P
eople around the world
are shift ing from meat
and processed food
towards a natural and fresh
diet. As per a recently published
report, one in eight Britons
are now vegetarian or vegan,
a further 22 percent claim to
being fl exitarian - a diet that
primarily focuses on vegetarian
food, occasionally including
meat. Th is means that a third of
UK’s consumers have willingly
reduced the amount of meat
they consume or have removed
it from their diet altogether!
On the other hand, Americans
have cut their beef consumption
by 19 percent, nearly one-
fi ft h — in the years from 2005
to 2014 and consumption of
chicken and pork in America
has also fallen.
As the harm caused by
consumption of meat continues
to be exposed, the population
is leaning towards vegan living
more than ever. Even doctors
have begun to prescribe a fruit
and vegetable diet to their
patients.
Now you must be wondering
about the connection between
human diet and that of pets.
Let us consider what you feed
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your children when you follow
a specifi c eating pattern. Of
course, whatever you consume!
Pet parents do not consider
their pets as animals kept for
entertainment. Th ey treat
them as their own children and
are most likely to give them
whatever they eat themselves,
with some even sharing the
same plate!
Some
common
food
consumption patterns that
people follow are vegetarianism,
lacto-vegetarianism
and
veganism.
Dogs
possess
more omnivorous traits than
carnivorous ones. Th is means
they can live longer and
healthier lives without meat. In
fact, one of the oldest dogs that
ever lived, for 27 years, ate only
vegetarian food.
Th is article highlights the
alternatives for people who
do not want their dogs to eat
packaged food.
Photo: Furrmeal
Although, packaged foods
sold in the market meet FSSAI
and AAFCO plus vet certifi ed
guidelines, many people want
their dogs to eat what they eat.
Aft er analyzing a few reasons
for people’s preference of
natural food, we came across
researched
articles
which
suggest that meat and processed
food contain carcinogenic
chemicals like hydrogenated
oils, aspartame, saccharin
and sucralose harming both
humans and animals. Th ese
preservatives and chemicals
ultimately cause severe health
problems. People are reckoning
that there could be intolerance
and allergies to their pets as
well. Considering this as a
business opportunity, many
people have started preparing
grain-free or gluten-free foods
and other freshly prepared
home cooked, unpacked and
chemical free foods.
Dogs possess more omnivorous traits
than carnivorous ones. This means
they can live longer and healthier lives
without meat
Creature Companion | August 2019 • Vol. XII • Issue 8 • Noida