Pet care continues to show good growth year on year in the independent sector, with 52 week MAT figures showing overall growth of 5.4%, similar to growth in the independent sector growth as a whole, which is currently running at 5.8%.

According to SalesOut’s data from over 11,000 independent stores, 5,000 of which are symbol stores, in the year to August 13 all major pet care brands except Pedigree were showing growth above 4%.

SalesOut’s Insights Manager Robert Moore says: “It would appear that despite current difficult financial circumstances, compromising on the feeding of our pets is not happening.

“Indeed, the sector shows positive signs with sales of pouches performing well and many featuring prominently in the top sellers list, with strong growth year on year. Treats for both dog and cat have also grown significantly, further illustrating our reluctance to cut back where our pets are concerned.”

Improved quality and presentation, backed up by marketing support, has boosted both cat and dog products in the complete (dry) pet food sub-category, particularly for the leading brands, explains Moore. “With Bakers showing a positive 11.9% growth and comfortably holding fifth place in the brand listings, it is evident that the convenience and value of complete “dry” pet food should be carefully considered by the independent retailer.”

Moore continues: “It would appear that consumers are making choices informed by perception of quality and, where value is sought, it is in purchasing of multipacks (MPs) that this is likely to occur. Figures from SalesOut show MP growth at 8.3%, compared to 4.3% for singles, indicating that convenience stores should have confidence in offering competitively priced multipacks.”

He adds: “The performance of Winalot (combining biscuit, complete, and wet pet) shows that consumers are happy to stay with brands – possibly seeing this long established brand as continuing to offer both value and a degree of comfort from the known.”


 TOP-SELLING PET CARE LINES IN INDEPENDENT STORES

RANK                       SKU                          YOY GROWTH (%)

1.   BAKERS COMPLETE ADULT BEEF/VEG 1.5KG BOX             11.0%
2.   BAKERS COMPLETE ADULT CHICKEN/VEG 1.5KG BOX          11.4%
3.   THOMAS CAT LITTER 8L BAG                             -1.0%
4.   WHISKAS SUPERMEAT CHICKEN 390G CAN                    2.5%
5.   FELIX MIXED SELECTION CHUNKS IN JELLY 12X100G POUCH  -4.8%
6.   FELIX FISH SELECTION IN JELLY 12X100G POUCH          12.7%
7.   KITEKAT CHICKEN CHUNKS IN JELLY 400G CAN             28.5%
8.   WHISKAS IN JELLY FAVOURITES SELECTION 12X100G POUCH  29.7%
9.   WHISKAS IN JELLY FISHERMANS CHOICE 12X100G POUCH      5.0%
10.  PEDIGREE ORIGINAL 400G CAN                           11.7%
11.  FELIX MEAT SELECTION CHUNKS IN JELLY 12X100G POUCH   -0.6%
12.  FELIX CHICKEN CHUNKS IN JELLY 400G CAN               16.0%
13.  WHISKAS IN JELLY SALMON 390G CAN                      4.0%
14.  WINALOT CLASSIC CHICKEN CHUNKS IN JELLY 400G CAN     14.0%
15.  WHISKAS IN JELLY CHICKEN 100G POUCH                   2.0%
16.  KITEKAT TUNA/SALMON CHUNKS IN JELLY 400G CAN         18.5%
17.  PEDIGREE BEEF CHUNKS IN GRAVY 6X400G CAN            -25.6%
18.  WHISKAS IN GRAVY TRADITIONAL DISHES 12X100G POUCH    73.5%
19.  GO-CAT DUCK/RABBIT/CHICKEN COMPLETE 375G BOX          9.1%
20.  WHISKAS IN JELLY POULTRY SELECTION 12X100G POUCH     55.5%
21.  GO-CAT TUNA/HERRING/VEG COMPLETE 375G BOX            10.9%
22.  PEDIGREE BEEF/CHICKEN/LAMB CHNK IN JELLY 6X385G CAN -21.1%
23.  PEDIGREE BEEF/POULTRY CHUNKS IN GRAVY 400G CAN       33.1%
24.  WHISKAS IN GRAVY DUCK/CHICKEN 400G CAN               -1.3%
25.  FELIX TUNA CHUNKS IN JELLY 400G CAN                  13.3%

One to Watch  PEDIGREE JUMBONE BEEF MEDIUM (2) 200G PACK          +48.1%
One to Watch  OWN LABEL CAT LITTER 10L BAG                        +33.9%
One to Watch  O/L BEEF CHNK IN GRAVY DOG FOOD 1.25KG CAN          +25.7%
One to Watch  O/L CHICKEN CHNK IN GRAVY DOG FOOD 1.25KG CAN       +24.8%
One to Watch  FELIX MIXED SELECTION CHUNKS IN GRAVY 12X100G POUCH +18.0%

 

PET CARE CATEGORY SHARES

           MAT Last Year (£)   MAT This Year (£) %

TOTAL CAT       27,751,812        29,710,401      7.1%
ACCESSORIES         21,835            26,777     22.6%
CAT LITTER       2,995,789         3,161,300      5.5%
COMPLETE         3,764,907         4,061,524      7.9%
TREATS             299,786           400,794     33.7%
WET             20,669,496        22,060,006      6.7%

TOTAL DOG        28,000,079       29,013,695      3.6%
ACCESSORIES          57,528           61,179      6.3%
COMPLETE          6,032,504        6,635,236     10.0%
MIXER               918,566          850,671     -7.4%
TREATS            3,451,912        3,891,324     12.7%
WET              17,539,568       17,575,286      0.2%

SMALL ANIMAL        375,392          421,149     12.2%
ACCESSORIES         106,161          143,009     34.7%
BIRD                112,958          117,783      4.3%
FISH                156,273          160,357      2.6%

CATEGORY TOTAL   56,127,283        59,145,245     5.4%


PACK TYPES
                       MAT 52 WEEKS LY MAT 52 WEEKS TY MAT 52 WEEKS Change
SINGLES           41,397,313      43,192,542         4.3%
MULTI-PACK     14,729,970      15,952,703         8.3%

Data based on sales from 11,000 independent retailers, including 5,000 symbol outlets