Earth Animal: What a 65%-Above-Benchmark SRS Score Looks Like Commercially

The US pet care market is transitioning. Sustainability has been at the heart of Earth Animal’s brand for over 40 years, a position that was differentiated when most category competitors were not engaging with ESG at all. As more pet brands have moved toward sustainability positioning in recent years, the strategic question shifts: what does leadership look like when the category is more active, and where do the specific risks and opportunities for a heritage brand sit?

1 in 5 US pet parents (17%) reported switching pet brands in the past six months due to sustainability perceptions. The category switching rate is not marginal.

Earth Animal’s engagement with Glow addressed six specific questions:

1. How is the pet industry perceived on sustainability relative to other industries?
2. What are the main drivers of consumer perception within the pet category?
3. What differences in perception exist across demographic cohorts?
4. What is the revenue opportunity for brands to capture?
5. How do consumers view Earth Animal specifically, what are the risks and opportunities?
6. How aware are consumers of certification labels and how do they influence purchase?

The data revealed: Earth Animal’s SRS sits 65% above the industry benchmark, the strongest position in the category. Perception is particularly strong among Millennials, higher-income households, and Northeast residents. Baby Boomers represent a clear cohort opportunity, a group where the brand’s credentials are less well understood.

The engagement also identified the specific driver areas where Earth Animal’s leadership is most competitive and where attention is required to maintain the gap as the category evolves.

Earth Animal is now using the SRS data to prioritise program investment and sharpen the communications strategy, a cycle where measurement informs action and action is subsequently measured. That loop is the commercial value of a sustained tracking program, not a one-time diagnostic.