Pet gift demand set to surge this Christmas

Demand for pet treats and gifts is set to surge this Christmas as a result of the estimated 3.2 million households who welcomed in a new pet during lockdown, according to retailer Tesco. 

The retailer said it is “gearing up” for what it believes will be the “biggest ever” Christmas for pets and predicts that demand for products is set to grow by 25% compared with last year’s festive season.  

In readiness for the extra demand, the supermarket is launching its first range of plant-based pet treats. 

The new range is made by Scrumbles, an ethical pet food start up company formed by Jack Walker and Aneisha Soobroyen who, two years ago, went on Dragon’s Den but turned down an investment offer of £60k

Amelia Austin, Tesco Pet Category buyer, said: “As lockdown progressed we saw demand for pet food and toys rise month by month and this Christmas is set to be the biggest ever for cats and dogs.  

“Last year we noticed a third of shoppers who bought items from our Christmas pet range didn’t buy anything from our wider pet range, suggesting they were picking up a gift for a friend or family member’s cat or dog. With pet gifting being a huge trend, we expect this to rise again this year.”  

She added: “Another growing trend is the humanisation of pets, as we all increasingly consider our cats and dogs to be part of the family, which has led to a 16% increase in premium pet food sales.”