Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this Report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Value sales up 3% year on year in 2015
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- Figure 1: Total UK retail value sales of cat and dog food, 2011-21
- Dry cat and dog food continue to lose share
- Sales of snacks are on an upward trajectory
- Market factors
- Two fifths of adults own a pet
- Families with kids are most likely to be pet owners
- The shift towards rented homes and smaller households is a threat
- Companies and brands
- Cesar is the only top five dog food brand to post growth
- Whiskas fails to claw back ground on new market leader Felix
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- Figure 2: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry dog food market, by value, 2015/16*
- Dog snacks accounted for a third of pet food launches in 2015
- Most 2015 launches were free from additives and preservatives
- Adspend on pet food up 12% year on year in 2015
- The consumer
- Pet owners tend to opt for a mix of foods
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- Figure 3: Types of pet food bought and/or prepared, by type of pet bought for, June 2016
- Complete foods hold most appeal, but provide limited standout
- Awareness that different pets have different needs
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- Figure 4: Factors deemed important when buying pet food, by type of pet bought for, June 2016
- ‘Try before you buy’ is an attractive proposition
- High-welfare pet food offers huge potential
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- Figure 5: Interest in innovation in pet food, June 2016
- Superfoods can be super for pets too
- Raw pet food mimics an “in the wild” diet
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- Figure 6: Attitudes towards pet food, June 2016
- Demand for more transparency
- Fewer ingredients and “clean labels” can build trust
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- Figure 7: Further attitudes towards pet food, June 2016
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Opportunities are ripe for high-welfare and British-reared meat and poultry
- The facts
- The implications
- Superfoods can be super in the pet market, too
- The facts
- The implications
- Reconnecting with nature with “paleo” products for pets can reap rewards
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Vales sales up 3% year on year in 2015
- Volume sales edge tentatively upwards
- 11% growth forecast over 2016-21
- Dry cat and dog food continue to lose share
- Sales of snacks are on an upward trajectory
- Two fifths of adults own a pet
- Families with kids are most likely own pets
- The shift towards rented homes and smaller households is a threat
Market Size and Forecast
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- Sales up 3% in 2015
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- Figure 8: Total UK retail value and volume sales of cat and dog food, 2011-21
- 11% growth forecast over 2016-21
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- Figure 9: Total UK retail value sales of cat and dog food, 2011-21
- Figure 10: Total UK retail volume sales of cat and dog food, 2011-21
- Forecast methodology
Market Segmentation
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- Dry dog food continues to lose share
- Sales of snacks are on an upward trajectory
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- Figure 11: UK retail value and volume sales of dog food, by type, 2013-16
- Wet cat food dominates
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- Figure 12: UK retail value and volume sales of cat food, by type, 2013-16
Market Drivers
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- Three fifths of adults own a pet
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- Figure 13: Pet ownership, by type of pet, May 2014, May 2015 and June 2016
- Owning just one dog or cat is the norm among owners
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- Figure 14: Number of pets owned, June 2016
- Families with kids are most likely to own pets
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- Figure 15: Pet ownership, by age and presence of children under the age of 18 in the household, June 2016
- The ageing population is a challenge
- The shift towards rented accommodation presents a challenge
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- Figure 16: UK housing stock, by tenure, 2004-14
Key Players – What You Need to Know
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- Cesar is the only top five dog food brand to post growth
- A stellar performance from Harringtons
- Good Boy leapfrogs Bakers to become the number two in dog treats
- Whiskas fails to claw back ground on new market leader Felix
- Gourmet and Sheba enjoy double-digit growth
- Dog snacks accounted for a third of pet food launches in 2015
- Most 2015 launches were free from additives and preservatives
- Lily’s Kitchen jumps up the rankings in NPD
- A surge in seasonal pet food launches
- Adspend on pet food up 12% year on year in 2015
Market Share
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- Cesar is the only top five dog food brand to post growth
- A stellar performance from Harringtons
- Iams dealt a blow by Asda delisting
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- Figure 17: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry dog food market, by value and volume, 2014/15 and 2015/16
- Figure 18: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry dog food market, by value and volume, 2014/15 and 2015/16
- Good Boy leapfrogs Bakers to become the number two brand in dog treats
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- Figure 19: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail dog snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2014/15 and 2015/16
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- Figure 20: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail dog snacks and treats market, by value and volume, 2014/15 and 2015/16
- Whiskas fails to claw back ground on new market leader Felix
- Gourmet and Sheba enjoy double-digit growth
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- Figure 21: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry cat food market, by value and volume, 2014/15* and 2015/16**
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- Figure 22: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail wet and dry cat food market, by value and volume, 2014/15* and 2015/16**
- Dreamies holds its ground in cat treats
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- Figure 23: Leading brands’ sales in the UK retail cat snacks, treats and drinks market, by value and volume, 2014/15* and 2015/16**
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- Figure 24: Leading manufacturers’ sales in the UK retail cat snacks, treats and drinks market, by value and volume, 2014/15* and 2015/16**
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Dog snacks accounted for a third of pet food launches in 2015
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- Figure 25: New product launches in the UK pet food market, by segment, 2012-16
- In a brand revamp, Mars puts the focus on lifestage for Whiskas
- A new look for Mars Dreamies cat treats too
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- Figure 26: New product launches in the UK pet food market, by company, 2012-16
- Cat soup bursts onto the UK retail scene
- Soup is well suited to NPD for senior or poorly pets
- Meaty cakes also aim to bring textural newness
- A premiumisation drive from Nestlé in dry dog food
- Lily’s Kitchen jumps up the rankings in NPD
- The brand sets the bar with superfoods for pets
- Lily’s Kitchen taps into the “flexitarian” trend
- Most 2015 launches were free from additives and preservatives
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- Figure 27: New product launches in the UK pet food market featuring the no additives/preservatives, all-natural product and organic claims, 2012-16
- Harringtons looks to naturalness as it branches out into wet dog food
- Gluten-free and L/N/R allergen products have become more prevalent
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- Figure 28: New product launches in the UK pet food market featuring the low/no/reduced allergen and gluten-free claims, 2012-16
- A surge in seasonal pet food launches
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- Figure 29: Share of new pet food launches carrying seasonal claims, UK, 2012-16
Advertising and Marketing Activity
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- Adspend on pet food up 12% year on year in 2015
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- Figure 30: Total above-the line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food, by type, 2012-16
- Figure 31: Share of recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food, by type, 2012-16
- The lion’s share of adspend belongs to Mars
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- Figure 32: Recorded above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food, by company, 2012-16
- A big advertising push for Nestlé
- Digital campaigns open up more scope for interaction
- Debut TV advert for tails.com
- Lily’s Kitchen’s charitable initiatives
- Media Research coverage
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Pet owners tend to opt for a mix of foods
- Complete foods hold most appeal, but provide limited standout
- Awareness that different pets have different needs
- ‘Try before you buy’ is an attractive proposition
- High-welfare pet food offers huge potential
- Superfoods can be super for pets too
- Raw pet food mimics an “in the wild” diet
- Demand for more transparency
- Enjoyment in buying novelty treats
- Widespread concerns over pet obesity
Types of Pet Food Bought/Prepared
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- Pet owners tend to opt for a variety of foods
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- Figure 33: Types of pet food bought and/or prepared, by type of pet bought for, June 2016
- Homemade food is a popular way of supplementing dogs’ diets
- Creating a behavioural purpose could boost usage of cat treats
Factors Deemed Important when Buying Pet Food
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- Complete foods hold most appeal, but provide limited standout
- Dental health benefits are important factor for dog owners
- Awareness that different pets have different needs
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- Figure 34: Factors deemed important when buying pet food, by type of pet bought for, June 2016
- No artificial ingredients most important for older consumers
- Three in 10 want dog food to be high in protein
Interest in Innovation in Pet Food
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- ‘Try before you buy’ is an attractive proposition
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- Figure 35: Interest in innovation in pet food, June 2016
- High-welfare pet food offers huge potential
- British meat can help to build trust in products
- Scope to improve packaging
- Vegetable-based protein offers opportunities
Attitudes towards Pet Food
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- Superfoods can be super for pets too
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- Figure 36: Attitudes towards pet food, June 2016
- Raw pet food mimics an “in the wild” diet
- 23% think that a gluten-free diet is healthier
Further Attitudes towards Pet Food
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- Demand for more transparency
- Fewer ingredients and “clean labels” can build trust
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- Figure 37: Further attitudes towards pet food, June 2016
- Enjoyment in buying novelty treats
- Widespread concerns over pet obesity
- Potential for diet apps for pets
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 38: Best- and worst-case forecasts for retail sales of cat and dog food, by value, 2016-21
- Figure 39: Best- and worst-case forecasts for retail sales of cat and dog food, by volume, 2016-21
- Forecast methodology
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