Under the wave of the pet economy, oral dissolving film technology ushers in a new era of pet medication.

Under the Wave of the Pet Economy, Oral Dissolving Film Technology Usher in a New Era of Pet Medication

In contemporary society, pets have long transcended the role of simple companions; they have deeply integrated into countless families and become indispensable members. Alongside this, the pet economy has flourished. The scale of China’s pet supplies market has been rising steadily, reaching 40 billion yuan, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.6% over the past five years—far exceeding the global growth rate of 5.31%. From 21.49 billion yuan in 2018 to 40.70 billion yuan in 2023, the CAGR has consistently remained at 13.6%. Meanwhile, the number of registered enterprises related to pet supplies has surged from 13,700 in 2014 to 140,000 in 2023. The industry is populated by numerous enterprises, with a fragmented competitive landscape, and no few enterprises have yet dominated the market.

In 2024, pet supplies accounted for 32% of the industry categories, becoming the second-largest category. This fully reflects the growing demands of pet owners for their pets’ quality of life. From the sales trends on Taobao’s platform, despite fluctuations, the overall trajectory is upward. This trend stems from the increasing number of pet owners and the rise of pet anthropomorphism, prompting owners to purchase more high-quality pet supplies.

Among pet supplies categories, products catering to basic needs such as housing, cleaning, and toileting account for 60% in total, forming the market’s foundation. In contrast, clothing accessories and toys focus on emotional needs, boasting higher profit margins and faster repurchase rates. For enterprises, consolidating market share in the top three categories, accelerating the iteration and innovation of clothing and toys, actively exploring demands in scenarios such as smart products, health, and travel, and increasing customer unit prices through bundled packages are key strategies to seize both existing and incremental market shares.

Against the backdrop of the continuous expansion of the pet supplies market, although the scale of the smart pet supplies market is temporarily smaller than that of traditional pet supplies, it is growing at a rapid pace. From 2018 to 2025, its market size is expected to grow from less than 5 billion yuan to nearly 15 billion yuan, with a CAGR exceeding 20%. Pet owners’ growing emphasis on their pets’ quality of life, coupled with the integration of cutting-edge technologies such as the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and big data, has driven continuous upgrades in smart pet devices in terms of functional design, user experience, and data feedback.

In segmented fields such as pet home care, travel, and toileting, the market shows promising development momentum. Taking cat and dog travel supplies as an example, from June 2024 to June 2025, sales volume and revenue generally trended upward, with a significant peak in January 2025. Despite subsequent fluctuations, revenue remained at a high level. Seasonal factors and e-commerce marketing nodes have a significant impact on sales. Traditional products such as dog leashes, backpacks, and luggage dominate the market, while emerging categories like smart wearable devices, though currently with low revenue, have achieved remarkable year-on-year growth and hold huge growth potential.

Notably, amid the rapid development of the pet economy, the field of pet nutritional supplements has also ushered in a major transformation. As a new drug delivery method, oral dissolving film technology is gradually emerging. Traditional pet tablets or capsules often trigger resistance in pets due to issues such as size and palatability, leading to delayed treatment. In contrast, oral dissolving film technology, characterized by its thinness, lightness, and easy dissolution, effectively addresses the problem of pets’ difficulty in swallowing medication.

In terms of dosage accuracy, oral dissolving films dissolve instantly upon contact with water, ensuring a 98% drug transfer rate and avoiding dosage loss caused by insufficient chewing or vomiting in traditional tablets. In terms of administration, oral dissolving films enable "contactless dosing," reducing pets’ stress responses. For pets with special body types—such as puppies weighing less than 2 kilograms or elderly pets with degraded chewing ability—precision dosing can be achieved through intelligent cutting systems.

As the pet economy continues to heat up and pet owners pay increasing attention to their pets’ health, oral dissolving film technology boasts broad application prospects in the field of pet medication. It not only improves pets’ medication compliance and ensures treatment effectiveness but also enhances pet owners’ experience, further driving the development of the pet medical industry. In the future wave of the pet economy, oral dissolving film technology is expected to become a pivotal transformative force in pet medication, ushering in a new era.