Pet Products in Ireland

2021 IMPACT

Sales contract due to rise in unemployment and further lockdown in 2021 despite increase in pet adoptions, especially dogs to which pet retailers mainly cater

There was a considerable rise in the numbers of pets being adopted during the first and second lockdowns in Ireland, with the rise in the number of new pet owners boosting sales of pet products. The average spend on pet healthcare also rose as did the number of new registrations with veterinary clinics, the majority of which were for dogs rather than cats.

Growing popularity of pet toys as consumers seek to alleviate pet boredom and help improve interactions with them during home seclusion

Despite a decline in spending on pet products, pet owners had more time to spend at home with their animals due to lockdowns and home seclusion. As a result, there was a rise in popularity in dog toys, which helped boost the quality of interactions between owner and pet.

Growth of e-commerce as consumers experience lockdown or have to stay local and avoid travelling to out-of-town bricks and mortar stores

Since the onset of the global pandemic, more purchases of pet products are being made online due to movement restrictions such as stay local orders by the government. Moreover, given the ongoing presence of the virus in the country in 2021, the distribution of pet products in Ireland is expected to continue experiencing a shift.

RECOVERY AND OPPORTUNITIES

Severe economic fallout from the pandemic hampers sales of pet products as pet owners rein in their spending

Pet products is expected to experience a slow recovery over the forecast period as a consequence of considerably reduced disposable incomes since the onset of the pandemic. Many people were laid off during the various lockdowns which created high unemployment in the country.

Brexit means higher costs on goods imported from the UK, especially niche products that cannot be sourced locally

Pet owners are set to experience higher costs when buying pet products from the UK via cross-border e-commerce due to the application of tariffs since Brexit. This is likely to particularly affect niche items that cannot be sourced or which are difficult to find in Ireland, such as interactive dog feeders and special edition plush cat homes that are produced by UK companies.

Growing sophistication in pet products thanks to the pet humanisation trend

Despite generally lower disposable incomes, those pet owners less affected by the economic problems created by the pandemic are set to create some premiumisation in the market over the forecast period. One example includes the launch of a dog collar from Pet Plus which uses AI voice recognition to register a dog’s bark.