87% of pet owners buy their pet a Christmas present - Over a THIRD of Brits will spend £30 on their pets this Christmas
- A quarter of pet owners admit they spend more on furry friends than actual friends at Christmas
- Most common presents for pets are treats, 34% even get a stocking!
Brits are spending a whopping £750 million on their pets this Christmas. In a survey of 3,230 pet owners conducted by OnBuy.com, 87% said they will be buying their pet a Christmas present this year. Indeed, more than one quarter of respondents (27%) admitted to spending more on their furry friends than on their actual friends, with the majority (35%) saying they spend between £20 to £30 on their pets.
Online marketplace OnBuy.com has assessed the rising popularity of purchasing presents for our pets through their survey. The responses revealed that the average amount spent on our animal companions was £16, and with 47 million pets being bought gifts, Brits will be spending over £750 million, which is certainly not a sum to be sniffed at. Most of the cash goes on treats (35%), toys (34%) and clothes (17%).
5% of pet-loving participants even admitted to spending more on their pet than on their own father! 1% stated they spent more money on their animals than on their mother and over 1 in 10 (12%) spent decidedly less on a sibling than on a pampered pooch.
The Christmas experience doesn’t end there for our four-legged friends, however. 83% stated they wrap up their pet’s gifts, 34% provide their companion with a stocking and 7% even write a Christmas card! We don’t forget our pets when it comes to food either, a massive 76% of animal- lovers state that their pet will be getting a Christmas dinner this year.
Although our spending is well-intended, 69% of pet owners admit that they went overboard last year on gifts for their furry companions.
Although most of us like to treat our pets on Christmas day, there are those who take it to the extreme and spoil their pooches rotten over the holidays.
The nation’s most spoiled pets at Christmas
Scott Bowman, 29, told us about his festive traditions with his dog, Buddy:
“Every year before Christmas I take my dog, Buddy, to our local pet shop so that he can pick out his first gift- which is normally always the same red chew toy.”
But the Christmas treats don’t end there for Scott’s 11-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier.
“Buddy is a big fan of Christmas, and we make it special for him by showering him with gifts, toys and treats. He always gets his own stocking, filled with things to eat, and he gets a new Christmas outfit to wear for the day too. After our Christmas walk, he always gets a share of the turkey and roast potatoes for dinner. Our dog indulges as much as we do at Christmas, and we treat Buddy to his very own doggy beer and mince pie (which he loves). He even gets to pull crackers with us!”
