Eight out of 10 UK pet shop consumers visit their local independent pet shop at least twice a month, highly valuing the trusted, tailored advice they receive.
This is according to a recent survey of 204 pet parents purchasing from UK independent pet shops, conducted by LOOP - Yummypets' insights platform with GA Pet Food Partners.
The study took a closer look at UK shoppers who choose to shop with independent pet shops, revealing important insights into pet parents’ buying habits and what drives them to choose their favourite local pet shop, and understand their purchasing preferences and nutritional needs.
Pet consumer shopping habits
- Pet parents who shop at pet shops are loyal visitors - 80% of them visit their local independent pet shop at least twice a month
- Locality and product choice rank as top motivators (61%) for buying from independents
- 46% value the recommendations tailored to their pet
- The top four reasons respondents choose their local pet shop over another are;
- i) Pet friendly store, ii) Level of service, iii) Value for money & iv) Pet expertise
- Pet parents love the welcoming, pet-friendly atmosphere of their local shops
- They’re drawn by the knowledgeable, friendly service and expertise, along with the sense of value these shops provide
- Crucially, Independent pet shops have built a reputation as trusted spaces that understand pets, as well as the people who love them.
Pet food considerations
Pet parents who buy dry kibble represent 19% of the UK population
- The top 2 purchase triggers when choosing kibble are health benefits and product quality
- The most popular health benefits pet parents are looking for are;
- Everyday health & wellbeing & ii) Skin & Coat health. Closely followed by; dental, digestive, joint and weight health
- A significant 91% of pet owners are open to switching their pet’s dry food to a healthier option based on recommendations from their pet shop. This trust has paved the way for own-label dry food options to soar in popularity, now making up 64% of dry food purchases.
- When comparing own-label to branded products, UK pet parents feel they’re getting a better deal: 44% believe that own-label options offer great value for money, compared to 21% for branded products.
- Even more compelling, 37% of pet parents feel that own-label kibble provides superior nutrition versus 20% who say the same about branded products.
- Pet parents are willing to embrace the shift: 79% of shoppers are open to replacing their current kibble with their store’s own-label, and a bold 87% would even pay more for it.
This growing loyalty to own-label brands signals a powerful opportunity for independent pet shops to build stronger connections with their customers by offering trustworthy products backed up by their trusted advice.
The insights from this survey have recently been shared at a live Q&A event with Yummy Pets on the GA Academy; an online community exclusively for independent pet specialists.
The Yummy Pets consumer research has informed GA’s next generation of pet food: Peptide+. Harnessing the power of peptides, this nutritionally advanced range includes three recipes each targeting key therapeutic conditions pet consumers are seeking solutions for.
GA Pet Food Partners and LOOP - Yummypets' insights platform are eager to continue working together in the future to further understand the consumers that shop in the independent pet shops and bring key learnings to give the independents a competitive edge.
