Covid

Covid-19 had a profound and lasting impact on the UK pet industry, reshaping consumer habits, retail operations, and supply chain resilience. Under this tag, Pet Gazette explores how pet shops, distributors, and petcare brands navigated lockdown restrictions, staffing challenges, product shortages, and evolving customer expectations. We also report on the post-Covid trading landscape — including lasting shifts towards online sales, changes in in-store footfall, altered buying patterns, and recovery strategies. Coverage is tailored to support pet retailers and supply chain professionals adapting to the sector’s ongoing evolution in the wake of the pandemic.

Mar- 2021 -

22 March

Economy

Gov launches £56m high street fund

The government has announced a new £56m investment into UK high streets and seaside towns to ensure a “successful reopening” of the sector this summer. The ‘Welcome Back Fund’ aims to help councils improve the “look and feel” of local high streets, by investing in street planting, parks, green spaces…
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19 March

Manufacturers

IAMS launches new campaign ahead of National Pet Day

To coincide with National Pet Day on the 11 April 2021, pet food manufacturer IAMS is investing in a three-month brand campaign spanning TV, radio, digital and print media. According to the group, the campaign aims to remind pet owners that IAMS’ products contain “high quality animal protein that provides…
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16 March

Features

Flerm: The pet sector’s newest arrival

The landscape of the petcare sector has undoubtedly changed in recent times, with a shift in consumer habits and the commercial landscape accelerated by the pandemic. Businesses across the sector have looked to diversify and adapt in order to take care of both customers and pets in the age of…
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12 March

Pet Owners

3.2 million pets bought in lockdown, PFMA finds

The Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) has found that 3.2 million households in the UK have acquired a pet since the start of the pandemic, according to its annual pet population data. Largely driven by Gen Z and Millennials, 59% of new owners are aged 16-34 and 56% of new…
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12 March

Economy

UK GDP shrinks 2.9% amid January lockdown

Monthly GDP fell by 2.9% in January as a national lockdown proved to impact economic activity, new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveals. Figures released show that January’s GDP was 9.0% below the levels seen in February 2020, and 4.0% below October 2020 – the “initial recovery…
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11 March

Charities

Dogs Trust campaign reveals owners forced to give up pet due to Covid

Dogs Trust has released a new advert, featuring recordings from owners who made the decision to hand over their dogs over to the charity due to Covid-19. The recordings have been shared via a radio and video advert as part of the charity’s ongoing ‘Change the Tale’ campaign. The advert…
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10 March

Trade Organisations

Nation has ‘good supply’ of pet food, says PFMA

The Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) has issued a statement reassuring the UK that the country has a “good supply” of pet food. The trade association’s intervention comes after reports from retailers of pet food pouches shortages. According to the PFMA, the temporary shortage is due to a rise in…
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4 March

Retailing

February footfall rises across all destinations despite lockdown

Footfall across UK retail destinations rose by 16% in February against the previous month, despite the continuation of lockdown and ongoing restrictions on non-essential retail. According to Springboard’s latest footfall monitor, this marks the largest month-on-month increase for February since its footfall data first became available in 2009. Footfall rose…
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3 March

Trade Organisations

Kennel Club preps for phased return of events

Kennel Club has launched an online survey to poll the views of pet competition participants, judges and organisers over the eventual phased return of licenced events. The specific questions centre around how soon after the easing of lockdown restrictions would the respondents wish to return to licensed events. Respondents to…
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3 March

Charities

SSPCA and Blue Cross launch joint research study

The Scottish SPCA (SSPCA) and Blue Cross have launched a joint research study with the University of Edinburgh to identify ways to reach people living with pets in hard-to-reach, minority or vulnerable communities. Together, the two charities intend to take a “user-centred approach” to find effective ways to help pet…
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