This ad will be closed automatically in X seconds.

Brits Willing To Spend As Much On A Gift For A Pet As On A Friend

In a new report from Mintel, it’s pets before humans, with 40% of pet care buyers confirming that they would spend as much money on their pet as they would on a friend when it comes to special occasions such as Christmas and birthdays. This compares to an average of 32% across all buyers.

Above: A quilted dog coat from Wrendale is brand new for this season.
Above: A quilted dog coat from Wrendale is brand new for this season.

“There are already pet Christmas and birthday presents available from a number of retailers, but the willingness to spend just as much on a pet as a friend shows that there is an opportunity for retailers to offer more event-specific products,” says Mintel’s retail analyst Chana Baram. “Having pet products for seasonal events such as Valentine’s Day would likely prove popular with young consumers, and this could extend to other key events such as weddings or funerals.”

Chana adds that as pets increasingly become viewed as family members, and are ‘humanised’, pet owners are willing to offer them their own products and unique items, which often carry a higher price tag, and help to drive category growth.

Above: Doug The Pug is a favourite with Millennials.
Above: Doug The Pug is a favourite with Millennials.

“Our research shows that Millennials are particularly devoted to their furry companions,” states Chana. “As the age of having children increases, we know some young people are opting to get a pet first and treat them as a family member. Additionally, there are many pet ‘influencers’ on social media, which are likely to appeal to the Millennial demographic, such as Doug the Pug, a dog with 3.6 million Instagram followers.”

 

Top: Blanche, owned by Adrian Smith at Rex London, shows off her fancy socks. 

MORE NEWS
PGH
 
Get the full lowdown on how indies fared over Christmas, how companies are approaching Spring Fair, what’s trending in home fragrancing, jewellery and fashion accessories, along with the very latest news, views and new product launches, plus much, much more besides!...
Daniel_Fagan
 
“I will be building on what I have been doing but with a wider remit”...
BGC
 
A significant milestone for the group, the acquisition of the former Dobbies stores makes BGC the largest garden centre group in the UK by stores...
POCC_25
 
Early bird tickets are available now for a limited time until 28 February 2025...
Retail_
 
“We are urging the government to reconsider reversing the rates increase if they are serious about revitalising high streets"...
Sarah Ward
 
Tom Jones, ceo of the British Allied Trades Federation (BATF), takes over as the GA’s interim ceo...
Get the latest news sent to your inbox
Subscribe to our daily newsletter

The list doesn't exist! Make sure you have imported the list on the 'Manage List Forms' page.