The World Pet Association (WPA) has launched petLENS, a new market intelligence initiative developed with BSM Partners to provide the pet industry with continuous consumer research, category insights and expert analysis. The initiative was announced on 13 August 2026, with the first report, petLENS Pulse, scheduled for September.
Tracking changing consumer behaviour
WPA said pet industry businesses often make decisions using data that may be months old. petLENS aims to address this gap by providing ongoing research that can help retailers, brands and distributors identify emerging changes in consumer behaviour and respond more quickly.
The programme is built around continuous research involving more than 75,000 pet owners. BSM Partners powers the research, supported by data scientists, researchers, veterinarians and product scientists. The research covers dogs and cats, as well as birds, reptiles, small mammals and aquatic pets. This broader scope is intended to provide insight into pet segments that are often less represented in industry research.
Monthly and quarterly intelligence
The first component, petLENS Pulse, will be a monthly index report covering five areas: Sentiment and Ownership, Spending and Shopping Behavior, Category and Product, Discovery and Loyalty and Health and Wellness. A second component, petLENS Spotlight, will provide deeper quarterly studies focused on specific product categories or wider industry trends. These studies will combine consumer research, trend data and expert analysis.
WPA said the report is designed to help industry stakeholders identify trends and risks and use the findings for decisions such as inventory planning, assortment changes and channel strategy.
“The pet industry doesn’t lack expertise. It lacks the ability to see around corners,” said Mike Karsting, Senior Vice President, World Pet Association. Adding further, he said retailers, brands, distributors, every part of this industry is making decisions today based on where the market was months ago, not where it’s actually headed. petLENS gives this industry the forecasting ability year-round.
The initiative was introduced to the industry during SUPERZOO 2026. WPA, founded in 1950, operates SUPERZOO and GROOM’D and describes itself as the pet industry’s oldest nonprofit organisation.