whiskas redesign

Mars Petcare is following the revamp of its Whiskas pouch range last summer by giving the same treatment to the brand’s dry food, as it continues attempts to win back ground from chief competitor Felix.

From January, Whiskas Dry will have a new formulation, with each mix including Pockets - crunchy parcels with a soft filling. The range will get a pack redesign, and products aimed at kittens (2-12 months), adults (1+ years) and senior cats (7+ years) will now display their age range, following the change made to pouches last year.

Each of the three age stages is now available in five pack sizes: 340g (a £1 price marked pack), 825g (rsp: £2.91), 2kg (rsp: £5.96), 3.8kg (rsp: £9.00) and 7kg (rsp: £16.50). The update will be supported by a £10m spend across the year, including TV advertising, in-store activations and PoS materials.

“We know cats enjoy eating different textures and with the inclusion of Pockets we know they will love our new recipe,” said marketing director Tom Lindley. “Owners buying the new Whiskas Dry products can have confidence they are feeding their pet complete and balanced food, tailored to their cat’s age.”

Whiskas’ sales have plummeted 12.6% this year to £205.5m - being overtaken as the number one cat food brand by Felix, which is up 7.6% to £250.5m [Nielsen 52 w/e 10 October 2015].