Pet owners in all global markets are expressing a sharp uptick in premium nutritional products for their pets, according to new consumer research by ADM, along with a willingness to pay extra for products which include a supplementary ingredient.

Overall, 85% of global pet parents believe proper nutrition and supplements are as important for their pets as they are for themselves, and ADM reports that functional ingredients in pet products are becoming “table stakes.” A total of 79% of global pet parents also reported that they would spend money on proactive care in an attempt to avoid larger vet bills.

Scientific validation is relatively important for pet product shoppers, with 63% of dog owners and 61% of cat owners reporting that branded health ingredients are important to their purchasing decisions, and four in 10 dog parents say they look for specialized health claims supported by science to validate a product’s effectiveness.

Like gummies in the human supplements market, pet owners are looking for a palatable experience for their pets, with soft chews staking the claim as the most popular pet supplement format, followed by crunchy/baked formats. Consumers broadly reported that if a dog or cat doesn’t immediately enjoy the product, they’ll never buy it again, ADM stated.

Pet owners indicate a high awareness of biotics. A majority of consumers in several countries reported buying a pre-, pro-, and/or postbiotic for their pet at least once, including in Mexico (90%), Brazil (85%), Poland (81%), the U.S. (71%), Germany (63%), the U.K. (58%), and France (56%).

For more details on these findings, view the full report here.