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A survey of 2,151 U.S. consumers by retail analytics platform First Insight found that Gen X most often buys pet products monthly, while Millennials lead in weekly or more frequent shopping. Boomers are most likely to treat pet products as a premium-spending priority, while online shopping is popular across most generations and subscription interest varies by age.
A survey of 2,151 U.S. consumers by retail analytics platform First Insight finds that generations differ in how often they buy pet products and how much they prioritize spending on them. Gen X leads monthly purchasing, Millennials are most likely to shop weekly or more, and Boomers are the most willing to pay a premium for pet products, according to the findings reported by GlobalPETS.
Monthly shopping is the most common pattern overall: 35% of respondents said they buy pet products once a month. Gen X had the highest monthly share, at 38%. Nearly three in 10 respondents shop weekly or more often, with Millennials leading at 39%. The survey also found that 11% shop once every few months and 5% buy pet products rarely or only once or twice a year. Gen Z had the highest shares in both less-frequent groups, at 13% and 8%, respectively.
Spending preferences also varied. Overall, 22% seek value products and 13% opt for private-label pet products. Boomers were most likely to identify pet products as a category where they would pay more: 29% did so, slightly above the 28% who named skincare and beauty. The share was 21% among both Gen X and Millennials, and 20% among Gen Z. First Insight reported that Gen Z instead gave health and wellness products its highest premium-spending priority, at 25%.
Online retailers were the most popular pet-product channel among Gen Z, Millennials and Boomers, cited by 36%, 37% and 37%, respectively. Gen X leaned toward big-box retailers, at 39%. For subscriptions, 27% of Gen Z respondents said they currently subscribe to pet food or supply services, compared with 24% of Millennials and 16% each of Gen X and Boomers. Across all consumers, 31% said they would be willing to subscribe to pet products.
How Generations Shape Pet Retail
The results point to different opportunities for retailers and brands: shopping cadence, preferred channels and price priorities are not uniform across age groups. Monthly purchasing is widespread, but Millennials’ higher reported frequency of weekly shopping may make convenience and readily available replenishment more relevant to that group. Gen X’s big-box preference suggests that physical mass-market retail remains an important channel for some consumers.
The subscription figures show a difference between current use and stated willingness. Millennials reported the highest willingness to subscribe, at 35%; Gen X and Boomers were each at 33%, while Gen Z was at 27%. That suggests potential interest beyond current subscribers, but the survey does not establish whether respondents will sign up or what product, price or service would persuade them. For businesses, the findings offer a snapshot of stated preferences—not proof that one sales approach will cause higher spending.
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Spending Priorities by Age Group
First Insight’s findings cover several dimensions of pet shopping, including frequency, spending priorities, channels, subscriptions and brand preferences. Quality was the leading purchase driver across generations, though the share naming it ranged from 24% among Gen Z to 46% among Boomers. The report also says sustainability, social proof and packaging each influence Gen Z decisions, with the combined reported range for those factors given as 39% to 41%.
Brand preferences differed as well. Purina ONE ranked first overall, cited by 39% of respondents, and had its strongest reported result among Boomers, at 53%. Pure Balance followed at 26% overall and performed better among Millennials, at 32%. Ollie was cited by 18% overall and 24% of Gen Z respondents. Stella & Chewy’s was named by 17% overall and 18% of both Gen Z and Millennials. These figures describe survey responses, not market share or sales.
What the Survey Cannot Establish
The published account does not provide the survey’s field dates, sampling method, margin of error or question wording. It also does not say whether the results were weighted to represent the U.S. population. Those details limit how precisely the percentages can be generalized beyond the respondents surveyed.
The findings are reported as consumer responses and preferences; they do not show actual spending amounts, changes over time or the reasons behind each choice. For example, the report describes Gen Z as making trade-offs between private-label staples and other priorities, but the figures alone do not establish why individuals make those decisions. It is also unclear how respondents’ pet ownership, household income or number of pets affected their answers.
Further Data Needed on Buying
The source report provides a cross-sectional survey snapshot and does not announce a follow-up study or a next release date. More information about the survey’s fieldwork and methodology would help readers evaluate how representative the results are. Future comparisons using the same questions could show whether generational patterns persist or change.
For retailers and pet-product companies, the immediate next step is to test the findings against their own sales, customer and subscription data. The survey indicates reported preferences, but whether those preferences translate into purchases—and how they respond to pricing, product quality or subscription terms—remains unconfirmed.
Key Questions
Which generation buys pet products most often?
Millennials led the weekly-or-more-frequent group, with 39% reporting that shopping pattern. Monthly buying was most common overall, and Gen X had the highest monthly share, at 38%.
Boomers led, with 29% identifying pet products as a premium-spending priority. The reported shares were 21% for Gen X and Millennials and 20% for Gen Z.
Which generation currently uses pet-product subscriptions most?
Among the surveyed groups, Gen Z had the highest current subscription share at 27%, followed by Millennials at 24%. Gen X and Boomers were each at 16%.
What pet-product shopping channel is most popular?
Online retailers were the most popular channel among Gen Z, Millennials and Boomers. Gen X respondents showed a preference for big-box retailers, cited by 39%.
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