Quality, Trust and Price Shape the Choices of Argentina’s Pet Food Shoppers

Choosing food for a dog or cat involves different criteria related to what the product offers nutritionally. For Argentine consumers, composition, nutrients, and the results they see in their pets guide decision-making that combines information with a search for reassurance.

Based on 385 online interviews with dog and cat owners across Argentina, the study examines purchasing habits, channels, spending, brands, and the motivations behind their choices. The methodology also applied ex post weighting to align the sample with the demographic structure of pet-owning households in the country.

From this portrait, three dimensions recur in the purchase decision: trust, accessibility, and the gap between what owners want to provide and what they can actually afford.
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The Decision Starts with Nutritional Quality

Nutritional quality is central among the factors considered when choosing food. The study describes this process as predominantly rational, driven by comparing nutrients, reading product information, and seeking technical validation.

For owners, then, the choice goes beyond brand recognition. Food composition and day-to-day results also factor into the assessment, bringing the purchase decision closer to the animal's specific needs.

Key factors when choosing pet food.

This logic helps explain why the nutritional proposition matters so much within the category. Shoppers look for information that allows them to compare options and reduce uncertainty before buying.

The Veterinarian Is at the Heart of Trust

While product information is gaining importance, professional advice remains a key validation point in the decision.

Veterinarians influence food selection for roughly three in four owners. Store staff come second, influencing about one in four consumers. Recommendations from acquaintances, family and neighbors also play a part, while traditional advertising and influencers account for less than 5%.

Sources of influence when choosing pet food.

Influence also varies by socioeconomic level. Among ABC1 consumers, veterinary advice reaches 82%. In the C3 segments, store staff gains greater relevance, while in segment D the references grouped by the study as 'other' increase. Advertising and influencers remain below 4% across all segments.

Trust, in this sense, is not concentrated at a single point in the shopping journey. It is built from different references, whose weight varies according to the consumer's profile.

When Quality Meets the Limits of the Budget

One of the main tensions identified by the research emerges in the relationship between preference and purchasing power.

Attention to nutritional quality does not mean all owners can turn that preference into a purchase. The criteria carry different weights depending on socioeconomic level, making price and availability more relevant among consumers with lower purchasing power.

Pet food choice factors by socioeconomic level.

In this context, price acts as a concrete limit on choice. It does not necessarily determine which food the owner considers most suitable, but it can define which options remain within reach at the time of purchase.
The difference between segments also lies in the ability to put into practice what owners want for their pets. Quality may be a shared criterion, but the budget sets the boundaries of choice.

Brand Loyalty Also Depends on the Wallet

This dynamic appears again when brand switching is analyzed. More than a third of owners said they had switched brands, with price, availability, and veterinary advice among the factors behind the change.

Among those who switched brands, 33% cite economic reasons. Among consumers who stayed with the same brand, 46% name satisfaction as the main reason for sticking with it.

Reasons for brand switching vs. staying.

A positive product experience and trust encourage owners to stay, but factors such as price, availability, or a new professional recommendation can open the door to change.

The relationship with the brand therefore unfolds in a category where repeat purchases are constant and buying conditions remain relevant.

A Category Defined by Frequent Replenishment

Purchasing dynamics reinforce this characteristic. Dry pet food is part of a frequent replenishment routine. The research identifies buying every two weeks as the main pattern, while 23% of owners buy weekly. Bimonthly or occasional purchases account for a smaller share.

Price, availability, and perceived value, therefore, are not assessed only when a brand enters the consumer's routine. These criteria can come back into the decision with each new purchase.

Spending is also concentrated in certain price ranges. The range between ARS 5,001 and 15,000 is the main spending bracket per purchase. At the same time, 15% of consumers spend less than US$5, while 7% spend more than US$20. The research also notes that higher spending levels do not necessarily reflect the purchase of premium products, as they may be linked to planned purchases or to households with more than one pet.

Kilograms purchased per occasion.

Between the Ideal Choice and the Possible Choice

The research portrait combines two dimensions that coexist in the purchase decision. On one hand, owners pay attention to nutritional quality, look for information about food, and value professional advice. On the other hand, price, availability, and purchasing power define the options that can actually make it into the shopping cart.

Argentine consumers are not simply choosing between brands. Their decision emerges from the balance between what they consider right for their pet, their trust in available information and recommendations, and what they can sustain within their shopping routine.

At this intersection of quality, trust, and accessibility, key signals about Argentina's pet food consumers in 2025 emerge.

Source: All Pet Food Market Insights, the market intelligence platform of All Pet Food