Walk through any Vietnamese city today and you will see it: more pets, more pet shops, more grooming salons, more people treating their cats and dogs like family. Pet ownership is rising fast, and with it a young, fast-growing pet care market that most foreign brands have not yet noticed. I am Delissa Kieu, Vietnam Market Director at GMA. Here is why Vietnam’s pet care market is an opportunity worth watching in 2026.

Vietnam pet care in numbers (2026)

• Pet ownership is rising fast, especially among urban young people.
• Owners increasingly treat pets as family members.
• Growing demand for premium food, health and grooming.
• Discovery and sales run heavily on social and e-commerce.

Why pet care is taking off

Several forces converge. Urbanization and smaller households, along with rising incomes and Western lifestyle influence, are driving pet ownership among young Vietnamese in particular. As owners bond with their pets, the “pet humanization” trend follows: people spend on premium food, health, grooming, accessories and even insurance for animals they consider family. This is exactly the pattern seen in more developed pet markets, and Vietnam is early in the curve, which is where the opportunity lies.

Where the demand is

The strongest growth is in premium and specialized pet food, pet health and supplements, grooming and hygiene products, accessories, and pet services. Owners who treat pets as family will pay for quality, safety and convenience, just as they do for their own health and beauty. Imported and premium brands, with a trust and quality story, are well placed.

How to win Vietnam’s pet owners

• Lead with love and trust. Owners want the best for family; sell care and safety.
• Use social and community. Pet content thrives on Facebook, TikTok and groups.
• Work with pet creators. Pet influencers and owner communities drive trust.
• Sell on e-commerce. Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop are key pet channels.
• Educate. Nutrition and care content builds authority and loyalty.

The mistakes brands make

• Overlooking the market. Pet care is early-stage and underserved, not small.
• Ignoring humanization. Owners buy for family, not for animals.
• No community. Pet marketing thrives on social and owner groups.
• Weak trust story. Safety and quality matter as much as in human products.
• Skipping education. Nutrition and care content builds loyalty.

What this means for you

Vietnam’s pet care market is young, growing fast and underserved, driven by rising ownership and pet humanization. Lead with care and trust, use social and pet creators, sell on e-commerce, and educate owners. For context, see the economy of Vietnam and its Digital 2025 profile.

Read next on our blog: business opportunities in Vietnam and marketing tips to manage a brand in Vietnam.

FAQ: Vietnam’s pet care market

Is pet care really growing in Vietnam?

Yes, quickly. Rising urban incomes, smaller households and Western lifestyle influence are driving pet ownership, especially among young Vietnamese in the cities.

What is pet humanization?

The trend of treating pets as family members. Owners spend on premium food, health, grooming and accessories, just as they do for their own health and beauty.

Which pet categories grow fastest?

Premium and specialized pet food, pet health and supplements, grooming and hygiene, accessories, and pet services. Owners pay for quality, safety and convenience.

Where do owners buy pet products?

Increasingly on e-commerce, Shopee, Lazada and TikTok Shop, discovered through social content, pet creators and owner communities on Facebook and TikTok.

How do foreign pet brands win here?

Lead with a care-and-trust story, use social and pet creators, sell on e-commerce, and educate owners on nutrition and care to build authority and loyalty.

Enter Vietnam’s pet care market with GMA

At GMA, we help foreign pet care brands enter and grow in Vietnam. We build the care-led content, pet creator campaigns and e-commerce that reach devoted owners. If you see the opportunity, tell us about your project.

Delissa Kieu, Vietnam Market Director at GMA (Gentlemen Marketing Agency). I lead our work on the ground in Vietnam, advising foreign brands on market entry, distribution and digital growth. If you want a clear read on this market, talk to our team.

GMA is a French agency based in Shanghai with more than 75 specialists, running marketing, e-commerce and distribution for foreign brands across Asia, with a dedicated team on the ground in Vietnam.