2025
9
UK Pet Retailing Market Report 2025
2025-10-16T16:03:10+00:00
REP26D3AE6C_35AB_40EE_9EA8_32DE8BACB4DA
2195
187730
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Report
en_GB
Pet owners are prioritising their pets, with 61% even placing their pets' needs above their own. Pet owners are also keen to reflect personal interests and preferences in purchases for…
UK
Pets
simple

UK Pet Retailing Market Report 2025

"Pets are increasingly considered cherished family members, and pet owners are willing to go above and beyond to ensure their wellbeing."

Sam Nguyen - Senior Retail Analyst

Sam Nguyen - Senior Retail Analyst

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  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for the pet retailing market
    • Opportunities for the pet retailing market
    • Leverage the close tie between pets and their owners
    • Extend the impact of social media beyond the online space
    • Infuse fun elements in-store
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Consumers and the economic outlook
    • Pet ownership ticks up
    • Graph 1: pet ownership, 2024 and 2025
    • Late amendment to Renters Rights Bill could boost pet ownership
    • Pet services remain highly inflated
    • Graph 2: CPIH, pet product and service inflation rates, 2022-2025
    • Incremental growth is expected
    • Value sales to grow by 14% between 2025 and 2030
    • Graph 3: consumer spending on pet products and services (including VAT), 2019-30
    • Product spending remains dominant, yet services are gaining momentum
    • Graph 4: pet products and services market segmentation, 2019-25
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Priorities for pets
    • Health is the top priority
    • The focus on health is in part driven by humanisation
    • Graph 5: agreement with “I try to reflect my personal preferences when buying pet products (eg matching outfits, plant-based food)”, by age , 2025
    • Pet’s health contributes to human wellbeing
    • Leverage technologies to add ease to pet-related tasks
    • Purchases of pet products and services
    • Pet product buying activity is far higher than that of services
    • Graph 6: pet services paid for in the last 12 months, 2025
    • Graph 7: pet products purchased in the last 12 months, 2025
    • Pet food is the most popular product purchase
    • Graph 8: repertoire of pet products bought in the past 12 months, by household income, 2025
    • Health services are the most important
    • Graph 9: pet services paid for in the last 12 months, by household income, 2025
    • Channels used for buying pet products
    • Purchases are evenly spread out across channels
    • Online is a key channel for premiumisation
    • Graph 10: channels used to purchase pet products in the past 12 months, by household income, 2025
    • Subscription services serve as a growth driver
    • Providers used for pet products and services
    • The choice of retailers varies based on the type of pet owned
    • Graph 11: retailers used for pet products – NET, by pet ownership, 2025
    • Pet specialists are patronised by younger shoppers
    • Graph 12: retailers used for pet products, by age and household income, 2025
    • Vets are trusted for pet services
    • Graph 13: providers used for pet services, 2025
    • Social media influence
    • Social media shapes buying habits
    • Social commerce gains ground as a sales avenue
    • Leverage pet influencers
    • Graph 14: social media behaviours in the last 12 months and future interests, 2025
    • Pet spending behaviours
    • Spending on pets is prioritised
    • Pet owners seek various opportunities to pamper their pets
    • Graph 15: behaviours in the last 12 months and future interests, 2025
    • Embracing diverse gifting formats
    • But savvy shopping remains a key feature of spending habits
    • Graph 16: behaviours in the last 12 months and future interests, 2025
  4. RETAILER ACTIVITY

    • Food subscription services spearhead growth…
    • Graph 17: leading pet retailers, growth in spend and customer numbers, 2023/25
    • … as they ramp up advertising efforts…
    • … and increasingly make way into physical retail
    • Integrating health and wellness into bricks-and-mortar experiences
    • Competitive pricing remains a key focus
    • The pet space becomes increasingly crowded
    • Petco debuts products for pet owners
    • Opportunities for trade-in and recycling initiatives
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope and definitions
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Market size and forecast: underlying data
    • Market forecast and prediction intervals (value)
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Supplementary data
    • Adspend nearly doubled in 2024
    • Graph 18: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food and care, 2021-25
    • Butternut Box significantly increases adspend
    • More budgets shifted to TV in the first half of 2025
    • Graph 19: total above-the-line, online display and direct mail advertising expenditure on pet food & care, by media type, 2023 -25
    • Nielsen Ad Intel coverage
    • Snoop SpendMapper methodology
    • Abbreviations and terms

UK Pet Retail Industry – Trends and Insights

  • 61% of pet owners prioritise their pets’ needs above their own, showcasing the deep emotional bond and commitment they have toward their furry companions.
  • Pet owners increasingly seek products that reflect their personal interests and preferences, leading to a crossover of trends from the human market into the pet industry.
  • Rising costs of pet care, particularly services, are causing owners to cut back on spending, with some even delaying essential pet healthcare. This financial burden is further exacerbated by the shift back to office work, which also discourages potential pet ownership.
  • The growing emphasis on holistic health opens doors for brands to create products and services that cater to both pets and their owners, bridging the gap between human and pet wellness.
  • Caring for pets not only enhances the pets’ quality of life but also positively impacts the mental and emotional wellbeing of their owners, highlighting the reciprocal benefits of pet ownership.

Key Issues Covered in the Report

  • The size of the pet retailing market within the UK and key opportunities in the market
  • Top priorities for pets, including the role of health and wellbeing
  • What pet products and services are bought, along with how and where they are bought
  • The influence of social media on buying behaviours
  • Pet spending behaviours, including the opportunities for premiumisation and continuation of savvy shopping
Report AttributesDetails
Published DateOctober 2025
Data Range2019-2030
Measurement MetricsRevenue in £
Country FocusUnited Kingdom (UK)
Consumer Data1,225 internet users aged 16+ who own a pet, May 2025
Number of Pages52
Leading Retailers in the UK Pet CategoryPets at Home, Butternut Box, Vets for Pets, Jollyes – The Pet People, Tails.com, Pets Corner, Pure Pet Food, KatKin, Lily’s Kitchen
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