Business

Not only treats but also perfumes: what Ukrainians buy and how much they spend on pets

Despite the fact that Ukraine is a “cat country,” spending on dogs is 20% higher on average. This is one of the conclusions of a study conducted by the National Pet Market Chain MasterZoo based on its own data for 2024, as reported by the Ukrainian Council of Shopping Centers, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports.

Among the favorites of MasterZoo customers are not only cats, dogs, fish and rodents, but also more than two hundred squirrels and snails, as well as hedgehogs and spiders, turtles, shrimp, snakes, frogs and even crocodiles.

Who is the most expensive to spend on

According to MasterZoo, terrarium pets are the record holders in terms of expenses: on average, 14,600 UAH are spent on them per year. But often it can be one expensive purchase, such as a new aquarium. Rodents are the least expensive – up to UAH 8,700 per year.

It is commonly believed that Ukraine is a “cat country,” but spending on dogs is 20% higher on average. This is primarily due to the fact that a smaller pet is easier and cheaper to keep, especially in urban areas. In addition, the types of leisure activities, the need for clothing, ammunition, etc. also affect the costs. Moreover, there is a global trend to switch from large to small dog breeds.

At the same time, people buy 30% more products for cats than for dogs. This is due to the peculiarities of care, nutrition, and behavior. For example, large packages of food are mostly chosen for dogs, while for cats it can be packages for one meal. However, dogs are still in the lead in terms of the number of toys purchased.

What products are in the greatest demand

The most popular toy at MasterZoo is a plastic ball with a bell for cats from the Priroda brand. Over the year, 8,400 units were sold, and its price is 16 UAH. “Pryroda is a Ukrainian economy segment brand that belongs to the Suziria Ukraine portfolio. The brand has a stable market share of 40% in the small animal food category.

According to MasterZoo’s observations, the trend towards the humanization of pets continues to grow – more and more owners are choosing not only comfort and care products for their animals, but also those that match their own lifestyle.

Over the past year, 60,700 pieces of clothing for tailed individuals, mostly for dogs, were purchased from MasterZoo. These include T-shirts, sweaters, raincoats, suits and dresses. The wardrobe of the four-legged friends was also replenished with shoes – 3,223 pairs of boots and socks. Perfumes are becoming a new cosmetic trend for cats and dogs – almost 2,000 bottles were purchased from MasterZoo during the year. These are also new Ukrainian brands, such as Puramur, which is already popular among groomers. Dental and oral care is also in focus: Ukrainians purchased 39,000 products for their pets.

Pet shopping records and more

Some tailed personalities from Kyiv and Zaporizhzhia together with their owners, for example, visited MasterZoo pet stores almost every day and made more than 350 purchases in a year.

A customer from Kremenchuk had the largest number of items in his shopping cart – 861. Among them were functional treats for kittens, food, vitamins, toys, a bed, and a veterinary medicine against parasites.

The most expensive purchase was the acquisition of everything necessary for the comfortable life of a scaly cat in Sumy – an aquarium, a compressor and its components, soil, etc. for more than UAH 50,000.

The most budgetary purchase in Kyiv was two larvae of a zoophobus used as food for exotic pets: lizards, chameleons, geckos, and spiders, for 6 UAH.

How many pets are there in Ukraine?

According to Euromonitor 2024, there are 17.58 million pets in Ukraine, of which 66.5% are cats (7.14 million) and dogs (4.55 million).

The population of birds, reptiles, and rodents has remained stable since 2019, ranging from 650 to 770 thousand.

However, the number of scaly pets has almost halved since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, as MasterZoo states, due to the consequences of blackouts and the inability to provide comfortable living conditions for fish in aquariums

What is known about MasterZoo

It is a national chain of pet stores that has been taking care of the comfort and health of pets for over 15 years. More than 10,000 products from more than 200 brands are presented in 200 pet stores in 38 cities and an online store.

MasterZoo also has a network of professional grooming salons – 15 locations in 6 cities of Ukraine.