When it comes to the Vietnamese pet market, most business owners immediately think of dog and cat food. In reality, the picture is much broader: accessories, grooming spas, veterinary services, training, and even a growing network of pet-related events and exhibitions. This article examines the entire industry, rather than a single product line, to answer the question of which direction the industry is growing and where the real opportunities lie.
The Vietnamese pet market is more than just about food.
A more accurate term for what’s happening is the Vietnamese pet economy, because food is just one slice of the chain of spending surrounding pets. An urban dog owner currently spends money on at least five categories: daily food, accessories and supplies, grooming and spa services, regular veterinary check-ups, and more recently, soft services like sitting, training, and photography. The food segment alone, according to Mordor Intelligence, is projected to reach approximately $167.98 million in 2026, but that’s only the core, not the entire cash flow of the industry. For pet shop owners, this perspective is very practical: revenue per customer can increase significantly without adding new customers, simply by expanding the product range to include related categories. Any store that still considers itself purely a place to sell bags of kibble will limit its own growth potential.
A portrait of Vietnamese pet owners through numbers.
The foundation of all growth figures is the size of the Vietnamese pet owner market, and this market is large enough to support a professional industry. Data from 2023 shows that 18.7% of households own dogs and 13.8% own cats, totaling approximately 27 million pet animals. This is noteworthy for two reasons. Firstly, the near-double-digit percentage of households owning pets means that pet ownership has become widespread, not just a hobby for a small group. Secondly, this percentage is still much lower than many developed markets in the region, meaning there is still room for expansion. For a retailer considering opening a store, the practical significance lies in the fact that the density of potential customers within a few kilometers of the store is often greater than commonly perceived. The key is to count that customer base instead of guessing, because the density of households owning pets is what determines the store’s break-even point.
The structure of livestock production determines the structure of goods production.
Within that overall inventory, there’s a structure many retailers overlook when placing orders. Dogs account for approximately 45.1%, cats 38%, and other pets 16.9%. The final figure, often overlooked but most significant, is that nearly one-sixth of Vietnamese household pets are neither dogs nor cats, including ornamental birds, aquarium fish, rabbits, hamsters, and reptiles. This group is almost entirely unserved by current pet shop systems, while owners still have a need for food, cages, and accessories. The gap between 45.1% and 38% also shows that dogs and cats are now nearly balanced in numbers, a stark contrast to the old notion that dogs dominate. Retailers should compare their inventory structure with the actual pet distribution in their area. If the proportion of cat inventory is significantly lower than 38%, it’s a mismatch causing stores to miss out on daily revenue.
The driving forces behind the Vietnamese pet market: urbanization and income.
The growth of Vietnam’s pet industry isn’t driven by any marketing campaign, but by two slow and steady societal shifts. First, urbanization: apartments, smaller families, and the increasing number of single people make pets a natural choice to fill relationship gaps. Second, disposable income, most evident in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, where the surplus after essential expenses is substantial enough to support a non-income-generating animal. Both of these drivers are difficult to reverse in the short term, creating a stable growth trajectory rather than a craze. For businesses, this means that medium-term investment decisions, such as long-term leases or warehouse construction, are more grounded than in seasonal consumer goods. However, it also implies intense competition in the two major cities, forcing retailers there to differentiate themselves through service rather than price.
Gen Z joins the trend of anthropomorphizing pets.
The most noticeable change in the last five years is the buyer demographic. Gen Z is increasingly participating in the Vietnamese pet market, bringing with them a completely different concept from previous generations: pets are family members, not just guard animals. This is the core of the trend towards anthropomorphizing pets, and it changes buying behavior in very specific ways. Buyers in this group read ingredient lists, care about origin, ask about allergies and suitable ages, and are willing to pay more for specialized products instead of choosing the cheapest option. They also research before going to the store and verify advice on the spot via phone. The consequence for retailers is that their ability to provide advice becomes a competitive asset, not just a matter of politeness. A salesperson who cannot explain why one type of food should be chosen over another will lose customers to a retailer who can, even if the price is the same.
How much are buyers willing to spend on a single purchase?
Spending level is the most reliable indicator of a product’s maturity. According to Pety, consumers are currently willing to spend between 200,000 and 500,000 VND on a pet product combo. Considering that the best-selling segment on e-commerce platforms remains in the 10,000 to 50,000 VND price range according to Metric data, there’s a significant gap to exploit. Buyers aren’t afraid to spend a few hundred thousand VND on a single purchase, but they only do so when the items are bundled into logical packages, rather than buying individual low-priced items. This directly suggests how products should be displayed and sold at physical stores: instead of letting customers pick up a bag of food and leave, design pre-packaged combos tailored to specific situations, such as a combo for a new kitten, a summer grooming combo, or a regular deworming combo. The average order value increases as a result of this arrangement.
Pet services are becoming a profitable side business.
While products are easily measurable, pet services are a rapidly growing but underreported sector. Grooming, bathing, holiday pet sitting, basic training, and veterinary care are becoming parallel revenue streams to sales at many urban retail locations. The economic characteristics of this segment differ significantly from product sales: higher profit margins, no inventory dependence, but reliance on skilled personnel and difficulty in rapid replication. The most valuable aspect of services lies not in direct revenue, but in the frequency of interaction. A customer bringing their dog for grooming each month is a repeat customer, and each return is an opportunity to sell food, accessories, or supplementary products. Therefore, the logical approach for many pet shops is to use services to retain customers, while using products to generate sales and a stable cash flow.
The Vietnamese pet market is shifting to the digital environment.
Another trend reshaping Vietnam’s pet economy is that much of the purchasing journey begins digitally, even after the transaction is completed in-store. Pet owners research products through online groups, short videos, and user reviews before making a decision. Furthermore, the fragmented nature of sellers on e-commerce platforms, with thousands of vendors targeting the same product category, overwhelms buyers with information and increases their need for reliable advice. The consequence for traditional retail outlets is not replacement, but forced presence. A pet shop without social media, unable to respond to messages, and without physical storefronts will be invisible to young customers, even if it’s located right down the street. The need isn’t for massive investment in e-commerce, but for maintaining sufficient digital visibility so customers can find and trust the store before entering.
From spontaneous to industrialized: indicators from Petfair 2026
The clearest sign that the industry is maturing is the emergence of industry infrastructure, not just retailers. The Petfair Vietnam Grand Season Festival 2026, scheduled to take place from November 18-21, 2026 in Hanoi, will bring together over 500 businesses and approximately 50,000 visitors. Such a large-scale event can only exist when there are enough professional suppliers, distributors, brands, and buyers to conduct business with each other. This is the line between a spontaneous industry, where people source goods through personal connections, and an industrialized industry, where trade fairs, standards, distribution channels, and long-term contracts exist. For pet shop owners and dealers, these kinds of events should be seen as a working tool, not just a sightseeing spot: a place to compare suppliers, check product profiles, and negotiate cooperation terms in a few days instead of months.
How does Petkin view the potential of the pet market?
Petkin is an importer and distributor of pet food, working with dealers rather than selling directly to retailers. Therefore, we assess the potential of the pet market from a supply chain perspective. What we clearly see is that the industry is expanding simultaneously in two directions: breadth, with more households owning pets and new service groups emerging; and depth, as each customer spends more and demands higher standards. These two directions combine to create real opportunities, but also necessitate professionalization. A long-term sales outlet needs a structured product catalog, a reliable and stable supply chain, and genuine consulting capabilities. These are also the areas Petkin focuses on supporting its partners in. The Vietnamese pet market still has much room for growth, and the rewards will go to those businesses that prepare ahead of the industry’s growth rate.