Gifting for pets is big business
OVER half of pets in the UK will be tucking into their very own Christmas dinner this year according to Mars Petcare, making it vital retailers stock up on seasonal selections for the nation’s furry friends.
Mars has revealed its research shows 84% of pet owners consider their pet a part of the family with 58% of pet owners feeding their pet a Christmas dinner.
The opportunity is boosted further as 21% of treat purchasers over the festive season are not pet owners at all, according to Mars, with consumers opting to pick up a present for the pets of their loved ones.
Roberto De Felice of Mars Petcare suggested that impulse will be key to taking advantage of the festive uplift in petcare sales, as 30% of care and treats are bought in this fashion according to Mars.
“Therefore it’s important to draw as much attention as possible to the potential gifts on offer.
“Try to bring the magic of Christmas to life in-store by creating bespoke displays and use themed POS materials to draw attention to Christmas products.
“Displaying both dog and cat Christmas products targets more households and helps to add to impulse purchases.”
When choosing what to stock, Felice reckons premium products should perform well this festive season, as this is the end of the care and treats category which is driving growth.
“With a static pet population and high calorie conversion, growth will come from premiumisation, rather than increasing volume,” he said.
“Over the past two years, we have seen owners start to spend more than ever on their pets, and that is especially true at Christmas time.”
