Britons are splurging this Christmas on their pets with a huge spike seen in the demand of pet food, treats and toys. show multiple reports across the industry.
Brits' love for their pets can be seen in the recent trends. Sales of Christmas pet lines are up 964 per cent year-on-year at Waitrose online. The food ranges have had some of the biggest increases. Visits to the Waitrose online mince pies for dogs page have risen by 351 per cent in last 30 days.
At John Lewis, sales of seasonal themed dog toys have increased 98 per cent compared with this time last year.
According to Emma Clifford, associate director of food and drink research at Mintel, this trend can, in part, be put down to the trend of pet humanisation.
“The ongoing ‘humanisation of pets’ means pets are increasingly seen as family members, and stress relievers – with many owners willing to spend more on their pets’ care,” The Guardian quoted Clifford as saying.
“We’re known as a nation of pet lovers … nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of pet owners who use and buy household care products say that looking after their pet’s health is more important than keeping their homes clean."
In 2023, a survey found that 18 per cent of Britons planned to spend more on their pet at Christmas than on their significant other. Meanwhile, research by Mintel found that more than half (56 per cent) of pet owners would rather cut back on money spent on themselves than on their pets.
Industry reports state that the majority of owners spend about £26–£50 on their pets per month while the UK spends £10 billion a year on their pet dogs. 58 per cent of owners buy birthday and Christmas presents for their pets.
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