High Street
The high street remains a vital battleground for pet retailers, balancing in-person service with growing digital competition. Pet Gazette covers the role of independent pet shops, regional chains, and national retailers on UK high streets — reporting on shop openings and closures, rent pressures, footfall trends, and evolving customer expectations. We also examine localised marketing strategies, product merchandising, and how high street stores adapt to omni-channel retail. For wholesalers and suppliers, this tag offers visibility into the challenges and opportunities facing brick-and-mortar stockists across towns and cities.
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Sep- 2025 -1 SeptemberManufacturers
Ruffingtons celebrates first year of ‘rapid growth’
Dog treat brand Ruffingtons has marked its first anniversary in which it saw it double its initial growth targets and expand to more than 200 stockists across the UK. The company, part of Lincolnshire-based Fold Hill Foods, launched at the Pets and Aquatics Trade Show (PATS) in September 2024 with…
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Apr- 2025 -10 AprilRetailers
Johnson’s unites with PIF and Bira on National Pet Shop Day
Johnson’s Veterinary Products has announced that it is partnering with the Pet Industry Federation (PIF) and British Independent Retail Association (Bira) for National Pet Shop Day. The event will return on 12 July 2025 following a successful first running in 2024. More than 200 pet shops participated in the inaugural…
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2 AprilRetailers
Retailers refrain from price rises in March
Retailers did not resort to price rises throughout March, according to the latest BRC-NIQ Shop Price Index, despite rising cost pressures. It comes as high street retailers are competing for reluctant shoppers, who are more likely to be pulled in with seasonal promotions. Mike Watkins, head of retailer and business…
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Jan- 2025 -3 JanuaryEconomy
Total footfall was down 2.2% in 2024
Total UK footfall in 2024 was down 2.2% compared with 2023 according to data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). Footfall decreased year-on-year for all four nations, with Scotland falling by 1.5%, England by 2.1%, Wales by 2.6%, while Northern Ireland experienced the biggest decline at 5.8%. Alongside this, total…
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Dec- 2024 -24 DecemberEconomy
Footfall rises ahead of Christmas but remains lower than 2023 levels
Footfall rose for the second consecutive week last week across all UK retail destinations with retail parks and shopping centres paving the way, according to MRI Software’s new data. However, levels were still considerably lower than the same week last year. For the week to 22 December, footfall rose by…
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Sep- 2024 -13 SeptemberRetailers
Retail industry is overtaxed, says BRC
The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has claimed that the retail industry is overtaxed compared with other sectors of the economy after new research found retail pays 7.4% of all business taxes (£33bn), a share 1.5 times greater than its share of the overall economy (5% GDP). The BRC said this…
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Jul- 2024 -5 JulyEconomy
Taylor Swift and Euros boost footfall amid damp June
Taylor Swift’s UK tour and the Euros helped strengthen footfall during a very wet June as total UK footfall decreased by 2.3% in June (YoY), up from -3.6% in May, according to the latest figures from the British Retail Consortium (BRC). On a segment basis, high street footfall decreased by…
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Jun- 2024 -26 JuneVeterinary
Creature Comforts opens flagship London practice
Vet tech startup Creature Comforts has announced the launch of its flagship practice in St John’s Wood, London. Having raised £10M in seed capital last year, co-founders veterinary surgeon Russell Welsh and online estate agent entrepreneur Daniel Attia opened their first practice in April in Notting Hill. Spread over two…
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10 JuneEconomy
Labour vows to overhaul business rates system
The Labour party has vowed to overhaul the current business rates system should it be victorious in the general election. The party stated that it would replace the current system with a new system that will “level the playing field between the high street and online giants”. Shadow chancellor Rachel…
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May- 2024 -24 MayEconomy
Retail sales slump 2.3% in April amid wet weather
Retail sales fell by 2.3% in volume over April, following a fall of 0.2% in March, as the retail sector was hampered by ongoing wet weather over the period. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), sales volumes were down across most sectors, with non-food stores particularly “doing badly”…
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