Last year, we reported on the viral trend of pet Chinese New Year (CNY) dinners (年夜饭). However, the trend has only grown bigger in 2025 as the pet economy continues to rise. On 21 January, the e-commerce giant Taobao even released its CNY dinner for pets report for this year.
The Taobao report shows that searches for CNY dinner for pets grew 150% from last year and transaction values increased nearly 60% year-on-year (YoY). Region-wise, Shanghai, Beijing, Xinjiang, Zhejiang and Jiangsu pet owners are the most generous when it comes to feasts for their pets. This includes dining out at pet shops with CNY meals specifically made for canine or feline companions to food hampers that include dishes, soups and snacks with costs ranging from under 100 RMB (13.89 USD) to over 500 RMB (69.46 RMB). Popular dishes include the Fujian cuisine dish Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, abalone rice and Beef Wellington.
In the meantime, the young pet owners are also bringing their pets back to their hometown for the actual CNY dinner. This year, airlines around China saw an increasing number of pets flying in passenger seats due to the low temperatures in airports. The trip can set you back between 1,299 RMB (180.44 USD) and 1,599 RMB (222.12 USD), depending on the airline and if the pet takes a seat. As driving remains the most popular mode of transport during “chunyun” (Spring Festival travel rush) this year, Amap, or Gaode Map (高德地图) also launched a campaign for easy traffic with pets.
The consumer market didn’t do very well in 2024 overall, but the pet sector is one of the few areas that saw a healthy amount of growth. The urban pet (cats and dogs) consumer market grew by 7.5% to 300.2 billion RMB (41.70 billion USD). Over 60% of pet owners are between 19 and 30 years old and over 45% of them have only had a pet for less than 3 years. The pet economy will continue to grow and is already opening up new possibilities like pet health supplements, pet funeral services and smart pet appliances.
