Latest figures from Pets at Home suggest consumers are still willing to spend more on their dogs and cats despite the cost-of-living crisis.
Having already benefitted from the jump in pet ownership during the pandemic, the retailer’s total first-quarter sales (to 20 July) climbed 7.9% to £436.8m, with the like-for-like increase also 7.9%.
Retail like-for-likes were up 7.1%, with the food category remaining in volume growth across grocery and premium categories supported by “further progress in our relative price position”. Meanwhile, accessories trends were “consistent” with previous quarters.
Pets at Home noted that sales momentum was helped by a 4% increase in active members of its VIP loyalty scheme to 7.7m.
It also saw over 22,000 new puppy & kitten sign-ups and 18,000 new pet registrations a week for its vet group, which saw like-for-like sales grow 16.6%.
Lyssa McGowan, Chief Executive, commented: “The quality of our growth has remained strong as we grew transaction volumes and continued to acquire new consumers at an impressive rate, as our compelling value, range and service continues to resonate with consumers.
“It has also been a quarter of steady delivery against our strategic plan we set out in May. We have expanded and enhanced our physical estate, made good progress in the development of our digital platform, and continued the transition to our new distribution facility, as we execute on our ambition to build the world’s best pet care platform.”
