1. Pet shops are currently losing customers to supermarkets and online platforms
For pet food, respondents mainly buy from supermarkets, online platforms, and veterinary clinics, while physical pet shops appear to be a weaker purchase channel. For pet toys, online platforms dominate even more strongly, with 67.6% buying pet toys through online apps/platforms.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Pet shops cannot rely only on product availability anymore. Online platforms already win on convenience and price comparison. Pet shops need to become trusted advice hubs, not just retail stores.
Recommended actions:
Offer curated “safe and sustainable” product sections.
Provide staff recommendations, comparison cards, and product education.
Add QR codes linking to product sustainability information.
Offer local delivery or WhatsApp ordering to compete with online convenience.
Create bundles such as “starter eco-care kits,” “low-waste food kits,” or “safe toy bundles.”
2. Health and safety matter more than sustainability alone
The strongest customer priority is pet health and safety. In the questionnaire, 100% of respondents agreed that pet health/nutrition is their top priority, and 84.2% selected pet health and safety as the most important factor when choosing pet products. For toys/accessories, 100% agreed that durability is important, and 100% agreed that safety/non-toxic/PFAS-free products are important.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Do not sell sustainable products only as “eco-friendly.” Customers are more likely to respond when sustainability is connected to:
safe for pets → durable → non-toxic → better quality → less waste
Recommended actions:
Use shelf labels like “Non-toxic,” “PFAS-free,” “Vet-approved,” “Durable,” “Natural material,” and “Low-waste.”
Train staff to explain how safer materials also reduce environmental harm.
Place eco-products next to mainstream premium products, not in a hidden “green corner.”
Use messaging such as:
“Better for your pet, better for the planet.”
3. There is an intention–action gap in sustainable purchasing
Respondents understand sustainability: 78% agreed that sustainable pet food is better for the Earth. However, only 37.3% agreed that they consider environmental impact when choosing pet food, and 56.4% gave high agreement that easy availability influences their choice more than sustainability.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Customers care about sustainability, but they do not always act on it at the point of purchase. The main problem is not rejection — it is friction.
Recommended actions:
Make sustainable choices visible and easy to identify.
Use simple labels: Good / Better / Best for sustainability.
Put sustainable products at eye level.
Create “easy swap” signs, for example:
“Your usual plastic toy alternative: natural rubber toy.”
“Your usual packaged treat alternative: refillable treat option.”
4. Waste reduction is the easiest sustainability entry point
The questionnaire shows very strong willingness to reduce waste. 100% of respondents were willing to reduce packaging waste, and 100% were willing to reduce food waste related to their pet.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Waste reduction is much easier to promote than complex sustainability topics like carbon footprints or insect-based protein. Customers understand waste immediately.
Recommended actions:
Offer refill stations for treats, shampoo, or pet cleaning products.
Promote recyclable or minimal packaging.
Sell correct portioning tools to reduce food waste.
Offer smaller trial packs before customers buy large bags.
Provide “food storage” advice to prevent spoilage.
Create a “low-packaging pet care” shelf.
5. Toy waste is a major business and sustainability opportunity
Many respondents have unused toys/accessories at home. 33.6% reported having 10 or more old or unused pet toys/accessories, while only 16.2% had none. The biggest reason toys are unused is that the pet does not like them, selected by 66.8% of respondents.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Pet owners waste money and generate waste because toys are often poorly matched to the pet. This creates an opportunity for pet shops to offer better guidance.
Recommended actions:
Offer toy matching by pet size, age, chewing style, and personality.
Create “try before you buy” samples in-store.
Use signs such as “Best for anxious dogs,” “Best for heavy chewers,” “Best for indoor cats.”
Provide staff recommendations to reduce wrong purchases.
Sell fewer low-quality impulse toys and more durable, targeted toys.
6. A toy donation/recycling box would be highly attractive
For old or unused pet toys/accessories, 39.8% currently donate to shelters/NGOs, 31.1% keep them at home, and 19.9% throw them away. When asked whether they would use a recycling/donation box if pet shops or institutions offered one, 93.4% were willing, including 71.4% who selected “very willing.”
What this means for pet shop owners:
A donation/recycling box is one of the clearest practical actions pet shops can take. It creates foot traffic, builds goodwill, and supports sustainability.
Recommended actions:
Set up a visible pet toy/accessory donation box near the entrance.
Partner with shelters or animal NGOs.
Offer a small discount for customers who donate old toys.
Post monthly impact updates:
“This month, customers donated 80 toys to shelters.”
Use the recycling box as a community engagement feature.
7. Eco-friendly toys have an awareness problem, not just a demand problem
Only 32.8% had bought eco-friendly or recycled-material pet toys, while 56.4% had never heard of them.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Many customers are not rejecting eco-friendly toys — they simply do not know enough about them.
Recommended actions:
Create a small educational display: “What makes a toy eco-friendly?”
Explain materials clearly: recycled fabric, natural rubber, hemp, cotton, bamboo, or biodegradable materials.
Compare product lifespan: cheap toy vs durable sustainable toy.
Use simple claims, not complicated sustainability jargon.
8. Customers are willing to pay more when the benefit is safety and durability
The questionnaire shows that 89.2% of respondents were willing to pay more for safer, longer-lasting toys. This is important because it means pet shop owners can sell higher-quality products if the value is clear.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Premium sustainable products should be framed around long-term value, not just environmental ethics.
Recommended actions:
Use price messaging such as:
“Lasts longer, safer for pets, less waste.”
Offer product guarantees for durable toys.
Compare cost-per-use instead of only shelf price.
Promote “buy better, buy less” as a practical benefit.
9. BSF/insect-based pet food should be introduced carefully
Interest in insect-based pet food is still weak. Only 22.4% planned to try insect-based pet food if available, while 55.6% were unwilling. The main hesitations include high cost, lack of vet recommendation, limited availability, nutritional concerns, and disgust/unappealing perception.
What this means for pet shop owners:
BSF pet food should not be pushed as a mainstream product immediately. It needs trust-building first.
Recommended actions:
Start with small trial packs, not large bags.
Provide vet-backed information on nutrition and safety.
Use educational messaging about BSF as a sustainable protein source.
Avoid making it sound strange or experimental.
Position it as a hypoallergenic or alternative protein option, where appropriate.
Offer samples only after explaining the benefits.
10. Social media is essential for pet shop sustainability marketing
Respondents receive pet care and sustainability information mainly through social media influencers and social media groups, with influencers at 44.8% and social media groups at 32.8%.
What this means for pet shop owners:
In-store education alone is not enough. Pet shops need digital visibility, especially for expatriate pet owners in Hong Kong.
Recommended actions:
Use Instagram and Facebook groups to promote sustainable products.
Partner with pet influencers or local pet communities.
Post short educational reels:
“3 safer toy materials for your dog”
“How to reduce pet food waste”
“What PFAS-free means for your pet”Use QR codes in-store linking to product videos or guides.
Encourage customers to share donation/recycling box participation.
11. Hong Kong feels difficult for sustainable pet care
When asked whether sustainable pet care is easier or harder in Hong Kong compared with their home country, 44.8% said somewhat harder and 22% said much harder. Together, this means 66.8% find sustainable pet care harder in Hong Kong.
What this means for pet shop owners:
Pet shops can position themselves as local problem-solvers. Customers may want sustainable options, but they do not know where to find them in Hong Kong.
Recommended actions:
Create a “Sustainable Pet Care in Hong Kong” section.
Highlight locally available sustainable products.
Provide bilingual/simple product explanations.
Offer guidance for apartment living, small spaces, and limited outdoor access.
Make sustainability feel practical for Hong Kong life.
Biggest Business Opportunities for Pet Shops
1. Safe and sustainable toy section
Focus on non-toxic, PFAS-free, durable, and eco-friendly toys.
2. Pet toy donation/recycling box
High customer willingness makes this a low-cost, high-impact initiative.
3. Waste-reduction services
Refill stations, low-packaging products, and food-waste reduction advice.
4. Education-led selling
Customers need simple explanations, not technical sustainability language.
5. Digital community marketing
Use Instagram, pet groups, and influencers to reach pet owners before they enter the shop.