United Kingdom Pet Food Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

United Kingdom Pet Food Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Key Highlights

• United Kingdom pet food market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period.
• Pet humanization involves owners trying to incorporate pets into more aspects of their human lives, like holidays, nutrition, healthcare, and more. This led to the commercialization of human-like goods and services for pets such as pet food, which is acting as a major driver behind the growth of this market. The demographic shift toward nuclear families leads to increased pet ownership. In addition to this, the pandemic has further fueled the increasing pet ownership as more residents have adopted pets in the country. Changing societal priorities have influenced the way pets are being fed.
• In recent years pet owners are focusing on various aspects such as weight management, skin care, digestive health, etc of their pets.​ For instance, obesity in pets is observed to be a significant health issue, due to irregularity in pet food consumption and patterns. As stated by the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association, in United Kingdom, 51% of dogs, 44% of cats, and 29% of small mammals in the country are obese. As a result, pet food manufacturers are focusing on producing low-calorie or low-fat pet food to reduce the risk. Therefore, the increasing pet ownership along with the humanization trend of pets is anticipated to drive the pet food market in the country.

Pet humanization is becoming a globally accepted term in the pet industry because more pet owners are willing to provide their pets with human-like products or experiences. The rapid pace of economic and societal changes is driving pet ownership and the pet food market trends. The new generation is becoming more isolated, and as a result, pets are treated as companions, leading to the growth of the pet food market. As per the Pet Food Manufacturer's Association (PFMA), in 2021, 3.2 million households in United Kingdom have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic. Largely driven by Gen Z and Millennials, two-thirds (59%) of new owners are aged 16-34, and 56% of new pet owners have children at home. The majority of United Kingdom homes have a pandemic pet, with 38% admitting that it is just like having a new baby, which suggests the extent to which pet humanization has been adopted in the country. Thus, the growing pet population, coupled with the rising pet-owning trend and pet humanization is expected to drive the pet food market during the forecast period.

Owing to the increasing pet population, the pet food market in United Kingdom is recording steady growth. Consumers are buying pet foods in large quantities than in the past and are moving from table scraps and home-cooked food to packaged/prepared pet food. It is observed that, in United Kingdom, there is an increase in online retail sales including pet food in recent years. According to Office for National Statistics United Kingdom data, the internet sales percentage in total retail sales in the country has increased from 18% in 2018 to 30.7% in 2021. During the pandemic, consumer behavior has shifted towards online shopping as a result of social distancing measures and public health concerns. This is further strengthened as e-commerce satisfies the needs of consumers as it provides comfort and convenience, value-driven pricing comparisons, and complete attention to customer experience. Due to this, online retailers are increasingly focused on providing the best consumer experience to their customers. For example, Butternut Box a United Kingdom-based online retailer uses algorithms to meet the individual needs of each pet, by asking owners to complete a 90-second fact find including details such as dog weight, age, breed, activity level, allergies, etc and then calculate the calories as per dogs need. Due to the increase in online retail sales in the country, many small and large pet food companies are offering their products in the e-commerce market. Therefore, the growing trend of online retail sales in the country is one of the major factors anticipated to drive the pet food market in coming years.

United Kingdom pet food market is semi-consolidated, with few leading players occupying a major share in the market. The major players in the market are Mars Inc., Nestlé Purina PetCare, Colgate-Palmolive (Hill's Pet Nutrition), Heristo AG​, and Archer Daniels Midland, among others. The key players in the market are focused on various strategies such as partnerships, acquisitions, and new product launches to cater to increase their consumer base and market share in the country.

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