Food for Thought

At the Global Pet Expo in March of 2020, the Pet Sustainability Coalition, Earth Animal, and Pet Food Experts announced a unique Flex Forward Pilot Program. Since August 2020, retailers from across the nation have been working toward a collective mission to gather 5,000 pounds of pet food packaging in an effort to identify sustainable alternatives to the packaging disposed of in landfills.

It is no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot about our way of life. Undoubtedly one of the most significant changes is the way in which we gather. As a result, we have seen many of our treasured industry shows, including PFEXPO, either canceled, postponed, or testing virtual formats to keep attendees, exhibitors, and workers safe. If you attended Global Pet Expo 2020 just weeks before the world shut down, then you can remember the feeling of impending change. Empty booths, quiet whispers, and the questioning looks when you saw someone sporting a mask as they walked through the aisles. We didn't know at the time, but everything was about to change.

Over the past year, we’ve seen nearly every industry event pivot to a virtual platform. I’ve had the pleasure of attending several virtual conferences and recently participated in the first-ever Pet Sustainability Coalition’s UnPacked21 event. UnPacked brought together over 400 attendees, including sustainable packaging experts and suppliers, as well as pet industry brands, manufacturers, and retailers, to shed light on one of our industry’s largest issues.

"Multi-laminate packaging" its a term you may or may not be familiar with, yet it is a very big part of your life. This term can be used to describe most if not nearly all of the packaging we see on pet store shelves. Although this packaging looks sleek, is eye catching on the shelf, and better protects product from being damaged during shipping, it is also much more difficult to recycle. So, what exactly is multi-laminate packaging? And how do we deal with its negative impact on the environment? Well, it just so happens that there is a new pilot program, finally rolling out in early August that aims to help consumers (and pet stores!) make a big impact when concerned with the issue of recycling in the pet industry. Let's take a look at what to expect!

2019 has come to an end, it’s time now to look ahead to the new pet industry trends and opportunities that will be brought by the new year. Since 1994, American pet spending has continued to rise every single year – even during the 2007-2009 recession – reaching an estimated $72.13 billion in 2018 and is now projected to hit almost $100 billion by the end of the decade. which is, well... now. This continued increase in industry growth means an increase in opportunity for your pet business to grow as well. It also means lot more new innovation and more competition to keep customers happy and shopping with you all year long.

Within the past few years, there has been a major shift in the pet industry towards more sustainable practices. With the fast growing concern for our planet’s welfare, many companies within the pet industry (and beyond) are taking a long hard look at their personal effect on the environment and are beginning to change how they do business. Not only that, but as consumers become more aware of their impact on the planet they are seeking out sustainable brands and products more than ever before. As a retailer, you play a huge role in helping promote sustainability to this growing number of concerned consumers. Today on Earth Day it is the perfect time for you to begin taking steps towards the sustainable future consumers want.