Description
Stay ahead of the curve with Mintel’s UK Pet Food Market Report 2023. Our full report is packed with consumer-led market intelligence, the latest trends and consumer behaviours affecting your industry. Get a 360° view of the UK pet food market including market size, share and forecasted growth to help you align your business strategy with the needs of your audience.
Below, we’ve handpicked the key insights analysed in the full report and summarised the core topics.
Key Issues Covered in this Report
- The impact of the cost-of-living crisis on the cat and dog food market.
- The market outlook while real household incomes remain under pressure and as they gain momentum.
- The latest trends in new product development.
- Pet food purchasing behaviour and the influence of the need for cost-saving.
- Consumer attitudes towards pet food including linked to enhancing the pet dining experience.
- Consumer behaviours related to pet food including related to sustainability.
Cat and Dog Food Market – Current Overview
The cost-of-living crisis is having an effect on the UK pet food industry, and pet ownership on the whole, which has fallen by 5% in 2023. However, pet ownership remains widespread in Britain, with half of adults owning a pet. Nine in ten of these pet owners buy pet food, which provides a solid base for the market. However, consumer shopping behaviour and spending habits have changed amidst the ongoing income squeeze.
- UK pet food market share: Butcher’s held the largest market share in wet and dry dog food in 2022/23. In the cat food market, Nestlé’s Purina Felix was the market leader.
- UK pet food consumer trends: Almost two-thirds of cat/dog owners have tried to reduce or limit their spending on pet food, and over half of these consumers view these changes as permanent.
UK Pet Food Market Trends and Innovation Opportunities
Strong interest in sustainability
UK pet owners recognise the impact of their food choices, with 38% seeing their pet food choice as having a big impact on their environmental footprint. There is, not surprisingly, a strong interest in various pet foods featuring sustainable ingredients or production. While financial considerations have currently diminished the importance of sustainability in pet food choices for 42% of pet owners, the topic is expected to regain importance as their financial situation improves.
Enhance the dry food eating experience
Financial strain has seen the dry food gain market share, with a 10.3% increase over 2022-23. Dry food is also seen as more sustainable, so it will continue to engage consumers as incomes rise. There is a trend of pet owners seeking to elevate their pets’ meal experiences. Serving suggestions and broths or gravies helping pet owners to turn dry food into a wet meal hold untapped potential in the market.
To learn more about UK pet food market trends and recommendations from our expert analyst, purchase our full UK pet food market report.
More About this Report
The market size in this report comprises UK retail sales of pet food for cats and dogs through all retail channels, including direct to consumers. Pet food is categorised as dry, wet, snacks and treats. Cat drinks are also included.
This report also looks at market sales and share of leading brands in the UK pet food industry, including Buthcer’s, Harringtons, Pedigree, Lily’s Kitchen, Purina Felix, Whiskas, Sheba, Dreamies, and more.
Expert Analysis from a Specialist in the Pet Food Market
This report, written by Chita Erayanie, a leading research analyst, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis to highlight current trends in the UK Pet Food Market and add expert context to the numbers.
The cat/dog food market has seen volumes fall in 2022 and into 2023 as pet ownership has fallen and owners have looked to economise on their pet food spend. Many owners see their recent changes as permanent, dialling up the need for engaging NPD for operators to regain interest once real household incomes regain momentum. This will further fuel interest in sustainable pet food, creating opportunities for low water footprint, insect-based and plant-forward options.
Chita Erayanie
Research Analyst
Table of Contents
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Overview
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Products covered in this Report
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Executive Summary
- Five-year outlook for cat and dog food
- Figure 1: Category outlook, 2023-28
- The market
- Volume sales fall in 2023 while value grows
- Moderate volume sales growth expected over 2023-28, rising prices fuel faster value increase
- Figure 2: Market forecast for value sales of cat and dog food, 2018-28
- Financial strain sees dry food gain share
- Figure 3: UK retail value sales of cat and dog food, by type, 2021-23
- Companies and brands
- Mars brands lose share, Butcher’s gains in dog food
- Figure 4: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail dog food market, by value, 2020/21-2022/23
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- Figure 5: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail cat food market, by value, 2020/21-2022/23
- Efforts to reduce eco ‘paw prints’ drive activity in the insect-based pet food space
- Premium claims have gained share of launches despite cost-of-living crisis
- Adspend increased slightly in 2022 after a fall in 2021
- The Consumer
- Nine in ten owners buy pet food, one in three feed homemade food or leftovers
- Figure 6: Feeding pets shop-bought food, homemade food and leftovers, by type of pet, 2023
- Three in five cat/dog food buyers have limited their spending
- Figure 7: Methods pet owners have tried to save money on pet food, 2023
- Strong interest in sustainable pet food and scope to spotlight water; interest in homemade food holds potential
- Figure 8: Behaviours relating to pet food, 2023
- Enhancing the eating experience for pets would chime
- Figure 9: Attitudes towards pet food, 2023
- Five-year outlook for cat and dog food
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Issues and Insights
- Three in five cat/dog food buyers have limited their spending and more than half see the changes as permanent
- Strong interest in sustainable pet food with scope for water footprint and alternative proteins to engage
- Awareness of pet food’s environmental impact drives interest in better-for-planet variants
- Activity in plant- and insect-based pet food remains limited
- Enhancing dry food eating experience for pets would chime
- Strong interest in dry food designed for soaking
- Dry pet food has short- and long-term relevance
- Suitability for soaking, topper suggestions and gravies/broths can tap dry-to-wet interest
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Market Size and Performance
- Volume sales fall in 2023 while value grows
- Figure 10: UK retail value and volume sales of cat and dog food, 2017-23
- Volume sales fall in 2023 while value grows
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Market Forecast
- Five-year outlook
- Figure 11: Category outlook, 2023-28
- Modest volume sales growth expected over 2023-28, rising prices fuel faster value increase
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- Figure 12: Market forecast for UK retail value sales of cat and dog food, 2018-28
- Figure 13: Market forecast for UK retail volume sales of cat and dog food, 2018-28
- Learnings from the last income squeeze
- Forecast methodology
- Five-year outlook
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Market Segmentation
- Financial strain sees dry food gain share
- Dog treat volume sales drop as owners economise
- Figure 14: UK retail value and volume sales of cat and dog food, by type, 2021-23
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Market Drivers
- Pet ownership declines in 2023
- Figure 15: Pet ownership, 2020-23
- The drop in child population looks set to curb pet ownership
- Figure 16: Trends in the age structure of the UK population, 2018 – 2028
- Inflation will continue to eat into consumer spending power over the course of 2023
- Further interest rates increases will hit mortgage-holders
- Consumer spending power will be curbed
- Consumers’ financial wellbeing has fallen from the highs of 2021…
- Figure 17: Household financial wellbeing index, 2016-23
- …and most people are feeling the effects of price rises
- Pet ownership declines in 2023
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Market Share
- Mars brands lose share due to price hike and Tesco supply halt
- Butcher’s overtakes Harringtons to secure top position in dog food in 2022/23
- Lily’s Kitchen continues to grow, Pooch & Mutt acquired in a multi-million-pound deal
- Figure 18: Leading brands’ sales in the uk retail wet and dry dog food market, by value and volue, 2020/21-2022/23
- Purina Dentalife gains share in dog snacks and treats
- Figure 19: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail dog snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
- Nestlé Purina brands gain volume share in cat food
- Figure 20: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry cat food market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
- Felix’s latest ad campaign helps it gain volume sales in cat snacks
- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail cat snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
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Launch Activity and Innovation
- Efforts to reduce eco ‘paw prints’ drive activity
- Insect-based pet food continues to attract launches
- Figure 22: Insect-based dog food and treats, UK, 2023
- More activity in plant-based and cell-based meat pet food
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- Figure 23: Plant-based dog toppers and treats, UK, 2023
- More efforts to make packaging sustainable
- Biodegradable packaging claims saw an uptick in the first half of 2023
- Economy and premium segments attract NPD during the cost-of-living crisis
- Raw pet food brands look to cater to cash-strapped “pet parents”
- Figure 24: Economy dog food launches from Paleo Ridge and ProDog Raw, UK, 2023
- Premium claims have gained share of launches despite cost-of-living crisis
- Figure 25: Premium dog treats, UK, 2023
- Premium private label remains active in launches in 2022
- Figure 26: Private label premium launches, UK, 2023
- Natures Menu and Harringtons refresh packaging
- Figure 27: Harringtons’ new packaging design, UK, 2023
- Functional and fortified claims gain share of launches
- Digestion, prebiotic and fortified ingredient claims increase
- Premium activity from mainstream players
- Figure 28: Functional dog food and treats, UK, 2023
- Mars Petcare enters the supplement category
- Figure 29: Pedigree multivitamin range, UK, 2023
- Humanisation trend continues
- Seasonal pet food mirrors celebratory dishes from human cuisine
- Pet treats take inspiration from human food
- Figure 30: Limited edition and seasonal new launches, UK, 2023
- Figure 31: Share of pet food launches carrying selected claims, 2018-2023
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Advertising and Marketing Activity
- Adspend increased slightly in 2022 after a fall in 2021
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- Figure 31: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food, 2019-23
- Figure 32: Total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food, by advertiser, 2019-23
- Pet food advertising echoes humanisation in the category
- Robbie Williams becomes the new voice of Purina’s Felix
- Lily’s Kitchen promotes proper food for pets
- …and introduces a train for pets
- Butcher’s Valentine’s Day promotion recreates romantic movie moments
- Whiskas frames its cat food as the choice of fussy felines
- Pet food brands promote strong bonds between humans and pets
- Pets at Home marks brand refresh with a new advert
- Tails.com highlights that ‘Every Dog is Different’ in new campaign
- Royal Canin introduces the ‘Unleash Their Potential’ campaign
- Naturo introduces a new ‘nose best’ campaign with a TV advert
- Burns launches a new campaign to mark its 30th anniversary
- Brands work with experts to enhance trust
- Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
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Pet Feeding Behaviour
- Nine in ten owners buy pet food, one in three feed homemade food or leftovers
- Figure 33: Feeding pets shop-bought food, 2020-23
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- Figure 34: Feeding pets homemade food, leftovers, shop-bought food and combination, by type of pets, 2023
- Most pet owners buy both wet and dry food
- Figure 35: Types of cat and dog food bought, 2023
- Nine in ten owners buy pet food, one in three feed homemade food or leftovers
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How the Need to Save Money Has Changed Buying Behaviour
- Three in five cat/dog food buyers have limited their spending
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- Figure 36: Methods pet owners have tried to save money on pet food, 2023
- More than half of those economising see the changes as permanent
- Figure 37: Whether pet owners consider their money saving methods permanent or temporary, 2023
- Three-quarters of under-35s pet owners are economising
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Behaviours Relating to Pet Food
- Strong interest in sustainable pet food
- Figure 38: Behaviours relating to pet food, 2023
- Scope to spotlight water
- Figure 39: Food and drink launches calling out water footprint, 2022-23
- Alternative proteins hold sizeable mainstream potential
- Nearly half of owners look for guidance for preparing homemade food
- Pet owners seek technological solutions for pet health assistance
- Strong interest in sustainable pet food
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Attitudes towards Pet Food
- Enhancing dry food eating experience for pets would chime
- Strong interest in elevating dry food to a wet food experience
- Figure 40: Attitudes towards pet food, 2023
- Dry food holds short- and long-term relevance
- Advice on soaking dry food and liquid toppers can tap this interest
- One in three owners think pets would enjoy warm meals more
- Figure 41: Microwavable pouch and instant bone broth, 2022-23
- Two in five pet owners find pet menus when dining out experiences appealing
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Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
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Appendix – Forecast Methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
- Figure 42: Market size and forecast for UK retail volume and value sales of cat and dog food, 2018-28
- Figure 43: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK retail value sales of cat and dog food, 2023-28
- Figure 44: Market forecast and prediction intervals for UK retail volume sales of cat and dog food, 2023-28
- Market drivers and assumptions
- Forecast methodology
- Market forecast and prediction intervals
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Appendix – Market Share
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- Figure 45: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry dog food market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
- Figure 46: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry cat food market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
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- Figure 47: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail dog snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
- Figure 48: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK cat snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2020/21-2022/23
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About the report
This market report provides in-depth analysis and insight supported by a range of data. At the same time, introductory and top-level content is provided to give you an overview of the issues covered.
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Data
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*databooks not available with UK B2B Industry reports.
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