Pet retailers are being urged to diversify during difficult economic times, with grooming being one profitable area worth considering.

Agathe Dias, marketing manager of Spectrum Brands which includes FURminator, said: "Pet owners are showing increasing interest in either paying someone to professionally groom their pet or invest in the tools and learning the techniques themselves.

"Some retailers have even done the training extended into this area, seeing it as an opportunity for diversification and growth."

Agathe admitted the past few years for the pet trade have been tough but some clear areas of opportunity were starting to show in certain sectors that provide retailers with a chance to benefit from.

Apart from grooming, the treats sector had grown consistently over the past couple of years and showed promise for the year to come.

"Understanding how the market has changed is vital. While things have been tough many retailers have done well out of these changes. Those that haven’t moved with the times are the ones that have suffered.

"We all need to understand that on-line retailing is here to change, along with buying behaviour and the areas of growth and opportunity. These new characteristics need to be embraced and understood for any business to survive.

"We remain optimistic and excited about the future but because there are always opportunities and while there may be a certain amount of pain in adjusting or reinventing a business the benefits exist for those who do.

"It demands new thinking and a creative approach, and possibly even learning new skills, but that makes for a more interesting working experience."

Spectrum Brands is made up of three brands – Tetra, FURminator and 8in1. Agathe admits they each have different challenges but revealed the company had extensive plans for each of them.

"This year for Tetra, it will be about focusing out our core range, adding new products, developing new appealing concepts and supporting retailers in helping them develop their understanding of their customers’ buying habits and providing high quality products that do what they promise.

"For FURminator we are focusing on our current range, helping retailers to maximise the opportunities presented by the increasing interest in the grooming sector thanks to sophisticated merchandising solutions able to train the end-consumer on this category of products.

"With 8in1 we are focusing on communicating the benefits of healthy treats with nutritional and health benefits, we are also planning to extend our product portfolio by offering the best reward to the dogs."