Petcare 2025: Preventative care trend benefits the UK’s cats and dogs

Sales of supplements for people are booming – and that’s sparked a push toward preventative healthcare in petcare too.

“Insurance is expensive, the vet is expensive and more dogs are living longer,” explains Louise Toal, founder of challenger brand Furr Boost, of the trend.

Launches like Lily’s supplements range for dogs have been designed to meet that need. It debuted in March in Bum & Belly, Joints & Mobility and Skin & Coat. They were joined by Norwegian Salmon Oil.

“Just as pet parents are becoming increasingly aware of their own health and wellbeing, they’re making the same considerations for their pets,” said Charlotte Henderson, Lily’s Kitchen head of marketing, at the time.

In August, challenger Omni also unveiled LeanPaws, a drug-free product designed to combat canine obesity – inspired by human weight-loss medications.

The same month, Pooch & Mutt added a seven-strong supplement range for dogs and an at-home gut health testing kit (see Top Launch, below). It also rolled out Bone Broth, a functional food lineup for dogs.

These innovative launches have helped keep branded petcare volumes in the black, by 0.5%, while own label has seen 10.3 million fewer units go through tills.

They appeal to the rising number of conscientious pet owners in the UK, says NIQ analyst Maria Betters. “Particularly cat [owners], which are at their highest levels in over a decade.”

More felines means more opportunity to grow sales through NPD. “The innovation side has not been done, not in the same way as it has been for dogs,” says Toal.

Suppliers are looking to correct that. Nestlé Purina, for instance, sees cat snacks as the “fastest-growing subcategory”, says Ben Duncan, Purina PetCare marketing director.

To capitalise, the business added Felix Joyables this autumn. It’s a three-strong lineup “of liquid cat snacks designed to create special bonding moments between cats and their owners”.

Smaller players are following suit. Take Scrumbles. In August, it grew its Gut Friendly range with wet catfood in plastic recyclable pouches. It was followed in November by rival Applaws’ addition of Fish Bone Broth in two variants. Both contain hydrolysed tilapia skin, a source of collagen. That they’re sold via its online shop is notable.

Indeed “online and DTC channels are now driving growth across the category”, says Duncan. “This is happening across retailers – shoppers moving to online ones – but also within retailers, with shoppers moving between retailers’ own offline and online outlets.” All in a bid to find the best for their four-legged friends.