Luxury brands roll out premium products for pets. Clockwise from the top left are Hermès dog bowls made of oak, top left, and stainless steel, top right, a Prada dog raincoat and a Louis Vuitton dog carrier.SCREEN CAPTURE
What we wouldn't do for our family — as pets increasingly come to be regarded as family members, owners are spending more on them. Retailers and food companies are responding by rolling out a growing range of premium pet products.
“There’s no end to how much you can spend if you want to give your pet the best,” said Kim, an office worker who recently splurged on an Airbuggy pet stroller costing more than 1 million won ($720) after their dog turned 10.
“Dogs have it better than ever these days. There’s a reason people joke that they want to be reborn as Paris Hilton’s dog.”
And riding on this love, luxury brands are selling pet products costing millions of won, which reflects the rise of so-called “pet luxury.”
Hermès sells a dog bowl handcrafted in France from high-end oak for 2.78 million won. The product was initially launched at 1.53 million won in 2021, but its price has since nearly doubled. An engraved stainless steel bowl costs 2.83 million won.
Louis Vuitton sells a dog carrier made of cowhide leather for 5.39 million won, while Prada offers a hooded raincoat for dogs for 1.69 million won.
Pet health supplements sold by Daesang Petlife, Daesang’s pet supplement brandDAESANG
Major Korean food companies have also created dedicated pet brands offering premium treats and health supplements.
Daesang Petlife, operated by the food company Daesang, sells pet food and supplements developed based on veterinary nutrition. Sneezing Care Breath & Heart, a respiratory health supplement launched in 2024, has sold more than 1 million packets to date. The brand’s overall sales rose 25 percent last year and continue to grow steadily.
Korean food company Pulmuone operates Pulmuone Amio, a brand whose pet treats are developed with input from veterinarians, while Harim Pet Food sells products designed to help prevent hair loss and dermatitis in pets.
The pet market is expected to continue expanding and moving upmarket.
“The market for consumers willing to spend generously on their pets will continue to expand amid social changes such as the rise in single-person households,” the Korea Development Institute said in a report on corporate innovation through petconomy — a portmanteau of pet and economy, referring to the market and economic activity driven by spending on pets.
BY KANG BO-HYUN [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
