Data analytics powerhouse Nielsen has acquired GfK’s Pet Specialty Point-of-Sale (POS) business, by which Nielsen plans to provide pet food retailers and manufacturers with the most comprehensive view of the industry’s specialty and non-specialty channels.

GfK’s Pet Specialty POS business is a measurement service for the US pet specialty channel. Through this acquisition, Nielsen aims to provide all-inclusive data on performance and competition in the pet retail market, from specialty stores to grocery stores to mass merchandisers.

The company attributes this expansion into pet retail measurement to the increasing humanization of pets and an emphasis on specialty pet care spending. For example, Nielsen reports the demand for premium food has contributed to a 36% increase in annual pet food spending over the past 10 years.

“We are excited to bring our holistic view of the pet care landscape to the US retail and manufacturing community,” said John Tavolieri, president of US fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and retail for Nielsen. “The combined strength of Nielsen and GfK’s data assets will allow us to deliver best-in-class solutions and services to this growing vertical, and we look forward to continuing to grow our capabilities to provide a more localized and omnichannel pet measurement view.”

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