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Pets - Ireland - October 2020

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Key issues covered in this Report
COVID-19: market context
Issues covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The impact of COVID-19 on pets
Figure 1: Expected impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet food, short, medium and long term, 23 September 2020
The market
Pet food sales grow regardless of COVID-19
Figure 2: Estimated value sales for pet food (cat and dog food only), IoI, NI and RoI, 2015-25
Dogs most common pet, and lockdown increasing pet numbers
Figure 3: Types of pets that consumers currently own, NI and RoI, August 2020
Home isolation eased by pet companions
Unemployment a threat to pet ownership
The consumer
Toys most popular accessories
Figure 4: Types of pets that consumers currently own, NI and RoI, August 2020
Dry food usage eclipses wet food usage
Figure 5: Types of pet food that consumers typically buy for their cats and dogs, NI and RoI, August 2020
NI pets more likely to be insured
Figure 6: If consumers have pet insurance for any of their pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
Figure 7: Level of pet insurance cover, NI and RoI, August 2020
Pets are family to most owners
Figure 8: Agreement with statements relating to pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
Pets viewed as expensive
Figure 9: Agreement with statements relating to pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
What we think
THE MARKET – KEY TAKEAWAYS
Pet food sales grow 2.5% in RoI and 2.1% in NI for 2019-20
Dogs most common pet, and lockdown increasing pet numbers
Home isolation eased by pet companions
Unemployment a threat to pet ownership
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on employment
Figure 10: Expected impact of COVID-19 on pets and pet food, short, medium and long term, 23 September 2020
Pet food sales continue to grow despite lockdown
Figure 11: Estimated value sales for pet food (cat and dog food only), IoI, NI and RoI, 2015-25
Figure 12: Consumers who agree with the statement ‘I am cutting back on non-essential spending’, IoI, May-October 2020
Figure 13: The impact consumers feel COVID-19 will have on selected factors, IoI, May-June 2020
Lockdown pet increase
Higher dog ownership makes it a more valuable segment
Figure 14: Estimated value sales for cat food and dog food, NI and RoI, 2015-20
MARKET DRIVERS 
Dogs most common pet type
Figure 15: Types of pets that consumers currently own, NI and RoI, August 2020
Figure 16: If consumers own a pet, NI and RoI, 2017 and 2020
Figure 17: Consumers who own any type of pet, by gender and age group, NI and RoI, August 2020
Number of cats and dogs in Ireland have increased
Figure 18: Number of cats and dogs in RoI households, 2016-19
Pet owners more likely to stay at home
Figure 19: Where consumers worked before and during COVID-19, NI and RoI, August 2020
Increases in unemployment may cause more consumers to surrender pets
Figure 20: COVID-19 adjusted unemployment rate (%), RoI, Jan-16 to Sept-20
Figure 21: Unemployment claimant count (%), NI, Jan-16 to July-20
Figure 22: How consumers rate their financial situation since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, IoI, May 2020
Fear regarding COVID-19 remains high
Figure 23: How worried consumers are about the risk of being exposed to COVID-19, IoI, March-September 2020
INNOVATIONS AND COMPANIES – KEY TAKEAWAYS 
Companies in the pet industry utilising social media during COVID-19
No additives/preservatives claim grows by 1.9% over five years
Branded products are more popular than private label
WHO’S INNOVATING?
Dog snacks & treats is growing more than other pet categories
Figure 24: New product launches in pet market, by category, UK and Ireland, 2015-20*
Top claims within pet products
Figure 25: Top five claims within new launches in pet market, by claims, UK and Ireland, 2015-20*
Which is more popular: private label or branded?
Figure 26: Branded and private label product launches, UK and Ireland, 2015-20*
Figure 27: Top 10 companies launching products, UK and Ireland, 2015-20*
Humanising pet products
COMPANY PROFILES
Asda
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Gary’s Pet World
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Jollyes (NI only)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Mars Ireland
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Maxi Zoo (RoI only)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Nestlé Purina PetCare (Ireland)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
Petstop (RoI only)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Petmania (RoI only)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Recent developments
Pets at Home (NI only)
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
The Pet Hut
Key facts
Product portfolio
Tesco
Key facts
Product portfolio
Brand NPD
Recent developments
THE CONSUMER – KEY TAKEAWAYS 
Toys most popular accessories
Dry food usage eclipses wet food usage
NI pets more likely to be insured
Pets are family to most owners
Pets viewed as expensive
PET ACCESSORIES 
Over half have bought pet toys
Figure 28: Types of pets that consumers currently own, NI and RoI, August 2020
Women and the young more likely to buy their pets toys
Figure 29: Consumers who have bought pet toys in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, August 2020
Christmas stockings bought by a fifth of pet owners
Figure 30: Consumers who have bought Christmas stockings in the last 12 months, by gender and social class, NI and RoI, August 2020
DOG AND CAT FOOD
Dry food – the most commonly used
Figure 31: Types of pet food that consumers typically buy for their cats and dogs, NI and RoI, August 2020
Functional claims help to drive dry food usage
Figure 32: Dry pet food products with functional claims, UK and Ireland, 2015-20
Dog owners more likely to buy treats for their pets
Figure 33: Consumers who bought snacks/treats for their dog and/or cat, NI and RoI, August 2020
PET INSURANCE
NI consumers more likely to have pet insurance
Figure 34: If consumers have pet insurance for any of their pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
Insurance owners more likely to opt for high-level cover
Figure 35: Level of pet insurance cover, NI and RoI, August 2020
Strong desire for insurers to be experts
Figure 36: Agreement with statements relating to pet insurance, NI and RoI, August 2020
PET BEHAVIOURS 
Majority of pet owners see pets as one of the family
Figure 37: Agreement with statements relating to pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
Pets as family can create opportunities
Pet/owner relationship likely strengthened by COVID-19
Figure 38: Agreement with the statement ‘I feel that having a pet has helped reduce feelings of isolation during the COVID-19/coronavirus outbreak’ by age and gender, NI and RoI, August 2020
Strong demand for more information on a raw diet
Figure 39: Agreement with the statement ‘I would like more information on a raw diet for my pet’, by gender, NI and RoI, August 2020
ATTITUDES TOWARDS PETS
Seven in ten see pets as expensive
Figure 40: Agreement with statements relating to pets, NI and RoI, August 2020
Expense an issue for NI 16-34 year olds
Figure 41: Agreement with the statement ‘Looking after a pet can be very expensive’, by age group, NI and RoI, August 2020
Greater need for guidance of healthy pet diets
Figure 42: Agreement with the statement ‘There should be more guidance on what a healthy amount of food is to give to a pet’, by socio-economic group, NI and RoI, August 2020
Two thirds want sustainable pet food
Figure 43: Agreement with the statement ‘Pet food made using sustainable ingredients would be appealing (eg by-products from other food production)’, by age group, NI and RoI, August 2020
Figure 44: Ethical causes consumers consider before buying food and drink, NI and RoI, August 2020
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Generational cohort definitions
Abbreviations

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