Pets Also Use Luxury Goods... High-End Pet Care Products Gain Popularity

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Following the 'Petfam' trend, where pets are regarded as family members, a new trend called 'Petmi' has emerged, where owners identify closely with their pets, leading to the rising popularity of high-end pet care cosmetics.

Santa Maria Novella, a 400-year-old Italian lifestyle brand imported and sold by Shinsegae International, announced that sales of its premium pet collection from January to August this year increased by 56% compared to the same period last year.

These products, including shampoo priced at 45,000 KRW (250ml), insect-repellent lotion at 57,000 KRW (50ml), and deodorant at 25,000 KRW (150ml), continue to sell out every year despite their high prices.

In particular, this year, the quantity of pet care products prepared for a year’s sales was completely sold out in just eight months by mid-last month, prompting Santa Maria Novella to urgently increase additional import volumes by about 150% and supply them to stores.

Santa Maria Novella’s premium pet collection contains natural ingredients that are gentle on pets’ sensitive skin and, like the brand’s other products, is crafted with traditional and meticulous hand-finishing.

The collection consists of five items: ‘Shampoo Delicato’ for delicate pet skin, ‘Schiuma Detergente’ dry shampoo that requires no rinsing, the low-irritant deodorant ‘Al Profuma di Rosa Musk,’ and the insect-repellent lotion ‘Lozione Spot Neem,’ among others.

Among these, the dry shampoo Schiuma Detergente, designed for pets that dislike bathing, is popular for its convenience as it only needs to be rubbed onto the body or brushed through without rinsing.

The deodorant is an ethanol-free, water-based product developed with the same fragrance as human perfumes so that owners and their pets can share matching scents. ‘Al Profuma di Rosa’ features a rose scent favored by cats, while ‘Al Profuma di Musk’ has a white musk scent preferred by dogs. These fragrances do not disturb the animals’ sensitive sense of smell but provide deodorizing effects and a subtle, long-lasting scent.

Santa Maria Novella will operate a pop-up store at Hanam Starfield Mollis Pet Shop for three days from the 25th to the 27th of this month ahead of the Chuseok holiday, when gift purchases increase. The store allows customers to shop with their pets, enabling pets to directly experience the products before purchase.

Visitors to the pop-up store who purchase set products will receive a hand towel and an eco bag as gifts, and all customers will be eligible for a lucky draw event. Prizes include a stay at the Lescape Hotel pet-friendly room, pet carriers, Santa Maria Novella products, and other generous gifts. Additionally, customers who bring their purchase receipts to Shinsegae Department Store in Hanam can buy Santa Maria Novella’s perfume products at a 10% discount.

A representative from Shinsegae International’s Santa Maria Novella said, “As one in four households in Korea lives with pets, interest in pets is growing significantly, leading to a sharp increase in related sales. Due to rising customer requests to visit with their pets to experience and purchase products, we decided to open the pop-up store.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.