Pet grooming: products, services and trends

The pet care market continues to grow faster than general consumer goods. All analyses agree: pets are now fully-fledged members of the family, and spending on their wellbeing is becoming less and less “optional” and increasingly structural. The pet care segment – which includes hygiene, grooming and products for daily cleaning and care – shows particularly dynamic trends, driven by the phenomenon of pet “humanisation”, increased focus on health, and growing sensitivity toward dermatologically safe, natural and sustainable formulations. At global level, the market for pet cleaning and care products is estimated at around 8.5 billion dollars in 2023, with a forecasted growth to over 15 billion by 2032. Such rapid market expansion inevitably means – for companies in the sector – the need to work on a product portfolio that is far more segmented than in the past, with formats, packaging and technical solutions designed for professional use in grooming salons as well as for daily home care by the final customer.

Grooming products: an increasingly specialised portfolio

Until a few years ago, the core offering for grooming was represented by a few “generic” products – a universal shampoo, a standard conditioner, a detangling spray or two – while today, the catalogue of a company operating in pet care is much more structured. International market research on grooming shows a range that includes specific shampoos and conditioners, brushes, combs, scissors, clippers, cleansing wipes, deodorants, mousses and waterless products, as well as targeted treatments for eyes, ears, teeth and paw pads.

In the cleansing segment, the most evident trend is verticalisation. Separate lines exist for dogs and cats, products for long, short or curly coats, dedicated formulations for puppies, hypoallergenic references for sensitive subjects, medicated shampoos that support the work of the veterinarian in the treatment of dermatitis, seborrhoea or environmental allergies.

This functional segmentation is further enriched by one based on cosmetic results: volumising products, brightening agents for light or dark coats, restructuring treatments and post-grooming masks that increasingly resemble the language of human haircare.

A second driver is the demand for practical and fast solutions, especially for home use. Recent analyses on the global grooming products market show that cleansing wipes, waterless sprays and dry shampoos are growing significantly, precisely because they meet the needs of urban lifestyles, smaller households and the limited time available for a full grooming routine.