Sales of Christmas Pet Items Surge At Waitrose And John Lewis

Britons are spending more on their pets this Christmas, with sales of pet treats, toys, and food seeing a huge increase. According to reports, sales of Christmas pet items are up 964% at Waitrose online. At John Lewis, sales of dog toys with holiday themes have risen by 98% compared to last year.

Emma Clifford, who works at Mintel, a market research company, said the trend is partly due to the “humanization of pets.”

Pet Spending Surges As Owners Prioritize Their Pets Over Themselves

Clifford explained that pets are now seen as important family members and stress relievers, so many pet owners are willing to spend more on their pets. She also added that some people even choose to spend more on their pets than on their partners.

In 2023, a survey showed that 18% of people in Britain planned to spend more money on their pets than on their partners during Christmas. Research by Mintel also found that more than half of pet owners (56%) would rather spend less on themselves than on their pets.

Despite rising costs, which have caused some people to give up their pets because they cannot afford to care for them, the demand for pet items continues to grow.

Retailers and manufacturers are expanding their offerings for pets at Christmas. This shift is also seen in how people prioritize spending at home. Clifford pointed out that 73% of pet owners, who also buy household products, believe taking care of their pet’s health is more important than keeping their homes clean.

Waitrose Sees Surge In Christmas Pet Product Sales

At Waitrose, the range of pet items has grown over the years. Popular products include Christmas-flavored food for dogs, cats, and birds, such as roast-dinner-style meals and snacks with classic Christmas flavors. Toys like Reindeer Bobble Balls, Christmice, dog stockings, and even mince pies for dogs are also top sellers.

Food sales have increased the most. For example, the number of people visiting the mince pies for dogs page on the Waitrose website has grown by 351% in the last 30 days.

Waitrose also saw an 84% increase in sales of Marleybones Lush Nosh Lamb Dog Food and a 343% rise in sales of Forthglade Lamb & Chicken Trays. Some dogs are even waking up to stockings at the end of their beds, with sales of the Good Boy Pawsley Dog Xmas Stocking increasing by 54% year on year.

Nicki Hobbs, the pet food and care buyer at Waitrose, said customers are now treating their pets like family members. She added that this is why they are focusing on offering the best products for pets this Christmas to help people pamper their furry friends.