Press Release

New data from Nielsen and headset reveals 74% of CBD buyers have pets

Press Release

New data from Nielsen and headset reveals 74% of CBD buyers have pets



New York, NY – February 4, 2020  Today, Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN) and Headset, the leading data and analytics service provider for the legal cannabis industry, released a new industry report that illuminates the impact of hemp-based cannabidiol (CBD) within the U.S. pet care market. According to the 2020 Pet Industry Green Paper by Nielsen and Headset, hemp-based CBD pet products will represent 3%-5% of all hemp CBD sales within the U.S. by 2025. In fact, joint projections show that the pet sector may yield one of the highest conversion rates within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry (37%). 

Key Report Insights

  • 74% of CBD buyers have pets.
  • Pet products have logged over $9.4 million in sales at regulated adult use cannabis retailers in California, Colorado, Nevada and Washington combined (Q1 2018 through Q3 2019).
  • The average price per pound for CBD dog treats is 2x the average dog treat.
  • To date, 24% of pet owners use hemp-CBD either for themselves, their pet(s), or for both.
  • Nearly 26% of U.S. adults with dogs are using hemp-CBD products. Half already use hemp-CBD for their dog, while the other half only use it for themselves.

`Understanding the dynamics at play in the cannabis space and their impact on the pet industry is critical,´ said Maria Lange, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Nielsen. `Despite open questions around regulations, hemp-CBD is exploding in the pet space. With Nielsen’s and Headset’s Pet Industry Green Paper, companies will gain a better understanding of the nuanced cannabis sector, its buyers, marketed packaging claims, and the rapidly evolving product landscape to capitalize on emerging trends and opportunities.´

`The perceived positive effects of cannabis and CBD have created new markets, reinvigorated traditional CPG categories and also fueled legalization efforts. It’s no surprise that cannabis and CBD are becoming a popular way to treat pets naturally, driving another exciting market category for cannabis while energizing the pet industry,´ said Cy Scott, Founder and CEO of Headset. `Headset is proud to  work with Nielsen on this report to help brands and retailers understand this market and better serve consumers -, and their four-legged friends.´

The Nielsen and Headset alliance leverages the combined power of Nielsen’s consumer research capabilities with Headset’s real-time retail point of sale (POS) data for legalized cannabis products in key legalized/recreational use states, along with Headset’s proprietary product catalog, demographic, and purchase dynamics. Over the past year, the Nielsen and Headset analytic alliance has brought unprecedented visibility into market-leading trends, highlighting segments, brands and products that are resonating with consumers in the legalized cannabis market. 


About Nielsen

Nielsen Holdings plc (NYSE: NLSN) is a global performance management company that provides a comprehensive understanding of what consumers watch and buy.  Nielsen’s Watch segment provides media and advertising clients with Total Audience measurement services for all devices on which content—video, audio and text—is consumed. The Buy segment offers consumer packaged goods manufacturers and retailers the industry’s only global view of retail performance measurement. By integrating information from its Watch and Buy segments and other data sources, Nielsen also provides its clients with analytics that help improve performance. Nielsen, an S&P 500 company, has operations in over 100 countries, covering more than 90% of the world’s population. For more information, visit www.nielsen.com.


Media Contact

NielsenIQ Media Relations
media.relations@nielseniq.com