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Category advice

Market Insight

Category advice2023

The UK Pet Food and Litter market is worth £3.3bn and has grown 7.9% in the last year.

(Nielsen CPS MAT to September 2022)

Dog population increased by +2.1% in 2021 to 12.91 million Dogs.

Cat population increased +3.3% in 2021 to 10,66m Cats.

(IPSOS Pet Ownership Study 2020 and 2021)

32.1% of UK households own Dogs (9.01m) and 23.2% own Cats (6.52m).

(IPSOS Pet Ownership Study 2021)

The cost-of-living crisis is impacting people's lives significantly, with people having to review what they spend in all aspects of their lives.

What we know about Pet is it's a very resilient category in economic turndown e.g. 80% of Pet owners would stop spending on themselves to buy high-quality food and products for their pets.

(Pet Resilience during Recession, Mintel; Pet Food UK 2021)

48% of households own either a Cat or Dog.

24% own a dog only, 15% a Cat only and 8% a cat and dog.

(IPSOS Pet Ownership Study 2021)

Pet ownership has changed.

A third of young adults aged 24 to 35 now have a pet in their household
Under 35s account for 59% of new pet owners
56% of those buying a pet for the first time have children at home.

The Pet Potential

Over ONE year, ONE Convenience Pet Food Shopper is worth £1,589 more than the average Convenience Customer!

(Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme 2022)

Why should I stock the pet category?

Pet is a valuable category for retailers, as shoppers buy frequently:

It is worth 6x more than Hot Beverages and Household Cleaning

The spend per trip is 15% higher than Household Cleaning and Hair Styling

The frequency of trips is 2x more than Beer & Lager and Ice Cream

Pet food ranks number 6 in average weight of purchase, this represents a significant part of shoppers purchasing each year

(Kantar, Grocery market, Total Market 52 wks 21st March 2022)

How do I maximise the pet potential in my store?

Signpost the category with key brands

47% of shoppers plan to buy a particular brand or product.

(Mars Omnichannel Study UK 2018)

Focus on meeting the needs of pet owners though category growth areas

55% of pet owners fail to make a convenience purchase due to lack of choice.

(Mars Omnichannel Study UK 2018)

Stock the best core range

Branded best sellers drive sales as these are customers favourites.

Different segments are important, as pet parents feed their furry friends different types of food, eg dry, wet, treats.

(Nestle Purina November 2022)

Make sure you stock the brands that customers recognise

86% of pet food shoppers state they like to stick to brands.

(Lumina Intelligence Convenience Tracking Programme 2022)

Price Marked Packs

Stock up on products available in a PMP as these communicate value and trust with the customer.

19/20 Top selling pet food lines in symbols and independents are PMPs.

(IRI Market Advantage Symbols and Independents Value sales 52 w/e 20th August 2022)

Pet Food is fed every day and bought on average once every 11 days making it one of the most frequently shopped categories.

(Kantar, Total Stores, Pet Food 52 w/e 20th March 2022)

Information correct at time of print.

Must Stock Lines

Category advice2023

These are the ‘Must Stock’ lines which shoppers expect to see in a convenience store. By stocking these lines, you will be meeting your customers’ needs and therefore they will visit your store again.

We suggest you stock the following range: