A Fresh Look at APPA’s State of the Industry Report: What’s New in 2026 (and Why It Matters)

If you’ve used APPA’s research reports in the past, you’ll notice something immediately in the 2026 State of the Industry Report: it reads differently, because it is different.

For 2026, we introduced an updated, publication-style report format designed to make insights easier to find, understand, cite, and leverage in your day-to-day business operations.
Below is an overview of what’s new and how it’s meant to support better decision-making across the pet industry.

What's Changed

The 2026 State of the Industry Report reflects a deliberate shift, moving from a primarily presentation-driven format to a more durable, accessible, and reference-friendly report. At the same time, the report still holds the same core objective: helping the pet industry understand today’s pet owners and the trends shaping tomorrow. 

Our previous reports were structured like presentation decks, a slide-by-slide experience built for quick visual consumption, organized into broad modules, similar to how you’d structure a live presentation. However, the 2026 report is designed as a reader-first, publication-ready document, driven by a strong narrative on trends and their implications for your business. It features more narrative and analysis, a formal Table of Contents, section hierarchy, and appendices that support clarity and confidence in the information. 

What's New in the 2026 Report

1. A dedicated “Key Trends” section 

One of the biggest additions in 2026 is a distinct Key Trends section, positioned early in the report before the deeper chapter content. This section draws on all the data in the report to highlight key, business-critical findings. In the 2025 deck, insights are spread across modules, often communicated as slide-level headlines paired with charts. In the 2026 report, these key trends give readers clear takeaways and a faster way to understand what’s changing (and why) before diving into the details. 

2. A shift from “chart-first slides” to “narrative + evidence”

Our previous report followed a format of insight headline, chart, footnotes, base sizes, and statistical markers. The 2026 report still includes the same data, but wraps it in more narrative, providing context and interpretation alongside figures rather than relying on a headline to carry the message. This is especially helpful for those who may not be used to reading research slides, as well as for teams who want to quote or summarize insights accurately in planning documents. 

3. More demographic data and generational insight

The 2026 report features never-before-published demographic data and includes more generational insights across each section than ever before.

4. A more structured Table of Contents and clearer navigation

The 2026 report is structured as an easy-to-use reference tool, especially for teams working across business strategy, consumer marketing, ecommerce, and services. Where the 2025 version listed high-level modules and read like a deck agenda, the new version features a more granular Table of Contents, breaking the report into sections and subsections so readers can quickly jump to what they need. 

What This Means for Pet Businesses

The 2026 report was designed to be easier to apply in real business settings. Here’s how the changes translate into practical benefits:

1. Faster insight discovery

A deeper Table of Contents and clear sectioning make it easier to pull exactly what you need when you need it, whether you’re working on retail strategy, ecommerce, vet services, or consumer messaging.

2. Easier cross-functional sharing

Because the report reads like a narrative, it’s more accessible to teams beyond just research departments. Marketing, sales, and product development teams can consume and leverage the report for strategy building, market insight, and more.

3. Stronger citation and credibility for external-facing work

Appendix structure and source citations better support content generation, such as PR materials, partner one-pagers, investor decks, and training tools. 

How to Use the 2026 Report

If you’re used to the slide format, here are a few tips to get the most from the updated report:

• Start with the Key Trends section to get the high-level story quickly.

• Use the Table of Contents to jump directly to business-relevant areas like Shopping Behaviors & Information Sources or Veterinary & Pet Care Services.

• Reference the appendices for when you need definitions, methodological context, or survey questions and base sizes. 
  

Get Your Report Today

APPA’s 2026 State of the Industry Report is included in your APPA membership. Get your report here. The report is also available for purchase for non-members. Or complete the form below to get a free preview.

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