Marks & Spencer has launched Paws & Pals, a new own-brand pet food range designed to bring the quality, trust and innovation customers expect from M&S to one of the UK's most-loved family members: pets.

The launch marks M&S' entry into the pet food category under a dedicated M&S brand and is another step in the retailer's transformation to become a true shopping list retailer.  

Pets are an important part of family life for millions of customers. Around 31% of UK households own a dog, while 25% own a cat, making them the nation's most popular pets. By expanding into pet food, the retailer is giving customers another reason to choose M&S for a greater share of their weekly essentials, while broadening its offer beyond traditional grocery categories.

Building on last year's branded reset, the transformed range introduces 13 new lines across treats, kibble and toppers under the new Paws & Pals brand. Developed with quality and nutrition at its heart, the range features 100% real ingredients with high meat content, grain-free recipes, and added vitamins and minerals, creating meals and treats that pet owners can feel confident feeding their dogs.

M&S Food research indicates that 60% of customers are looking more closely at what is in their pet’s food and they are looking for the same ingredient quality, transparency and nutritional standards in pet food as they do in the food they buy for themselves. Paws & Pals has been designed with customers’ needs in mind, combining carefully developed recipes with the trusted quality credentials that customers associate with M&S Food.

Alex Freudmann, Managing Director, M&S Food, said: "We're focused on becoming a true shopping list retailer, making it easier for customers to do more of their weekly shop with M&S. Pets are part of the family for millions of households, and pet food is a natural extension of our Food business.  

We've developed Paws & Pals with the same focus on quality that sits behind every M&S Food product. Using 100% real ingredients, grain-free recipes and carefully selected nutrients, we've created a range that's both nutritionally balanced and delicious for pets. Every recipe has been developed to give customers confidence that they're feeding their pets food made with quality ingredients they can trust.”