The customer service, expertise and value for money provided by independent pet shops are highly valuable commodities according to a new survey commissioned by GA Pet Food Partners.
The poll, conducted by Loop, the insights platform of social network Yummypets, surveyed the purchasing habits of 204 pet owners choosing to buy from independent pet stores in the UK. It found that 80% of owners in the survey visit their local independent pet shop at least twice a month, with locality and product choice ranking as the top motivators (61%) for buying from independents. The top four reasons respondents chose their local pet shop over another are the welcoming, pet-friendly atmosphere; secondly, the level of service; followed by value for money and pet expertise.
According to the survey, as many as 91% of pet owners are open to switching their pet’s dry food to a healthier option based on recommendations from their local pet shop, leading to an increase in popularity of own-label dry food options. When comparing own-label to branded products, 44% of pet owners believe that own-label options offer great value for money, compared to 21% for branded products, while 79% of shoppers are open to replacing their current kibble with their store’s own-label, in most cases even if it means paying more for it.
