Pets can now take their humans shopping for T-shirts, coffee mugs, even bookends at Petco
Petco is expanding its product offerings to attract a new species of customers - humans.
The pet food and supplies retailer on Tuesday announced the launch of its “My Human” product category designed and curated specifically to cater to pet owners and animal lovers.
Petco WOOF 0.00%↑ said its My Human collection, available online and in select stores, ranges from clothes and home décor to games, toys, office supplies and novelty gifts with a majority of products priced under $20.
It’s the first time in Petco’s 60-year history that the retailer is chasing human customers as it strives to become a one-stop shop for pets and pet lovers. Citing results from a February survey it conducted of 1,800 pet parents, Petco said it found that 64% of respondents were already buying pet-themed merchandise for themselves.
"Creating a completely unique human category at Petco was a no-brainer that's deeply rooted in our brand's essence," Michael Romanko, Petco’s chief customer and product officer, said in a statement. "No matter our lifestyle, the human-animal bond connects us all, and customers are looking for fun ways to show off and share that bond, especially for gifting moments.”
Petco said the My Human merchandise, such as dachshund-shaped bookends, paw print jewelry and socks with the wording “My Dog and I Talk Sh*t About You," is meant to be playful and a bit sassy.
Reshaping pet ownership
Some 94 million American households owned at least one pet in 2024, up 12% from a year earlier, according to the latest annual report from the American Pet Products Association.
Overall spending on pets—food, veterinary care, accessories, vitamins, travel and other services and products—is projected to reach $157 billion this year.
Pet owners, especially Millennials and GenZers view their pets as full family members, even refusing to travel without them.
Younger pet parents “view their pets as a lifestyle extension and truly a valued companion,” said Ingrid Chu, vice president of research and insights with APPA, on a recent conference call. Nearly three quarters of owners traveled with their dogs by plane in 2024, up from 68% a year earlier, according to the APPA's report.
Businesses are responding and adapting to the “humanization” of pets trend.
In June, Swimply, an online marketplace that launched in 2018 for private pool rentals by the hour, announced that it was expanding the service to include pets.
Bunim Laskin, CEO of Swimply, said the new offering was in response to growing demand from pet parents using the platform. (The company said it had seen a 700% surge in pet-related inquiries in 2024.)
“The demand became impossible to ignore,” Laskin told Bagable.com.