How much do you consciously consider your pet when shopping?

"When I wear black clothes, my dog's white fur really stands out."
"He tries to lick everything, so now when I buy cosmetics or sunscreen, I always check if it's safe for animals to lick." "If I leave the trash can or anything low, he'll definitely dump the contents out. Since getting him, I've started using tall trash cans."

Have you ever heard comments like these from pet owners?

Many people seem to experience a shift in perspective and awareness about various items they previously bought without a second thought once they start keeping a pet.
Is the product I always buy harmful to my pet? Is it dangerous? This awareness might be similar to what you feel when you have a child.
In 2011, the Think Pet Project surveyed pet owners (dog owners only) to understand how much their pets influenced their purchasing decisions.
This survey focused on purchasing decisions within high-value categories in daily life, specifically examining four categories: "Home Appliances," "Housing," "Furniture," and "Automobiles."

The survey results revealed that pet owners exhibit three distinct patterns when selecting products:

Perspective ①: Focusing on whether the product "will harm the pet." This involves paying attention to the product's materials and usage.
Perspective 2: " Will my pet destroy it?" This perspective focuses on the product's durability and strength.
Perspective 3: "Can humans comfortably coexist with pets?" Focuses on whether the product enables a comfortable living space for humans without imposing restrictions on the pet within the shared environment.

Perspective ② is likely not new; it probably existed somewhat among people who have traditionally made pet-conscious purchasing decisions. Indeed, the fact that items like "I avoid choosing things that are easy to knock over or break" and "I choose things that don't make loud noises or sounds dogs dislike" scored high as things people consider when buying appliances shows this perspective remains unchanged over time.
On the other hand, the perspective in point ③—considering the comfort of both pets and people—has likely become more prominent recently. This shift coincides with the transition from outdoor pet keeping to indoor pet ownership, increasing the shared space and time pets and people spend together.

For example, among pet owners who said they consider the impact on their pet when purchasing a car, about 40% responded that they "choose materials that can handle getting dirty." Behind this response lies the intention to maintain a better environment for the pet, with whom they spend long hours in the same space. Recently, it's not uncommon for owners to take long drives with their pets, making this perspective increasingly important.
Looking at other survey data regarding experience transporting pets by car, only 14.6% reported "never having transported a pet by car," meaning the remaining 85.4% have transported their pets by car for some reason.

The most common reason for taking pets in the car was, unsurprisingly, "to take them to the vet." The next most frequent reasons were "to take them for walks in the park" and "to enjoy drives together." (Source: Pet Market Marketing Overview 2014)
Following the previously mentioned response of "choosing materials that can get dirty," the next most common answer was "choosing items that make it easy for the dog to get in and out," revealing a mindset that considers both the pet and the owner.

Another particularly distinctive result emerged regarding housing-related items.
Approximately 50% of pet owners who said they consider the impact on their pet when purchasing a home responded that they "prioritize ventilation to prevent odors from lingering."
While about 30% also responded to items like "choosing a house or room with few steps," indicating a high level of awareness towards creating a comfortable environment for pets, the equally high level of awareness towards their own comfort is particularly interesting.

In 2014, the percentage of pet owners keeping pets indoors increased by 5.7% year-on-year to 76.8% (Source: Pet Market Marketing Overview 2014). For future product development, whether for humans or pets, it is crucial to adopt the perspective of "identifying and solving issues that are important for owners living with their pets, while keeping the pets' needs in mind."

Do you consider your pet when making purchasing decisions?