By Abigail Guise, Client Service Director at Golley Slater
Walk through any supermarket pet aisle and it’s clear the category hasn’t changed all that much over the last decade. Rows of tins and pouches still dominate from a handful of brand names that are long well-established. The exception: these brands now do also sit beside an expanding mix of fresh, organic and tailored products that speak to a different kind of shopper.
Pet owners no longer just think in terms of convenience and cost alone. They expect a similar level of care, quality and customisation they look for in their own food choices. The result is a pet care industry rethinking how to connect with people who see their animals as one of the family.
The digital benchmark for personal care
Online brands have reshaped what pet owners expect from the category. Tails.com, for instance, showed how powerful a personalised experience could be. Its subscription model offered nutrition plans built around each dog’s breed, weight and routine, paired with packaging and messaging that spoke directly to owners’ sense of care and responsibility, while offering ultimate convenience.
Everything about the experience, from the tailored feeding guides to the visible list of ingredients, reinforced the idea that wellbeing of pets was being handled thoughtfully. It wasn’t just about custom food, but about reassurance: that every meal was doing something positive for the animal they love.
That kind of trust and emotional pull is harder to replicate on a supermarket shelf, yet it has become the new standard many shoppers subconsciously expect. The success of that approach created a benchmark not just for digital brands but for retailers too.
When consumers get used to tailored meals arriving at their door, the in-store experience starts to feel stagnant without new innovations to bridge the gap. The same shopper who selects a precise blend online walks into a supermarket and finds a handful of generic options under broad labels like puppy/kitten or senior.
How pets are an extension of ourselves
That gap has widened as owners start to mirror their own health habits in how they care for their pets. The humanisation trend, once a marketing cliché, has become everyday behaviour. You only have to knock on the door of any house, on an average street in the UK, and there is a good chance you will see a pet being treated like royalty!
Research from Ipsos’s What the Future Pets 2025 report shows most owners now describe their animals as family members, with health, wellbeing and sustainability among their top priorities when choosing food.
This shift has normalised interest in human-grade ingredients (almost), natural formulations and diets tailored around lifestyle or sensitivities. What began as a niche for enthusiasts has become mainstream expectation, setting a higher bar for how products are presented and what they promise in store.
These expectations are driving the need for more storytelling, transparency and choice on the shelf.
Making space for emotion in-store
Some brands are already responding with creativity and confidence. Lily’s Kitchen has led the charge with lively in-store takeovers in Sainsbury’s, using its playful line “food to fuel their daily mischief” to reframe pet food as an act of joy rather than routine.
But most aisles remain static and practical. Even as ranges expand to include premium, raw and fresh products, the presentation rarely matches the passion that defines pet ownership.
There is a missed opportunity for retailers and brands to create a sense of theatre and emotional journey, creating spaces that reflect the affection and character owners see in their animals. A few touches of sensory design or personality can elevate the aisle from transaction to experience.
When the environment feels more human, shoppers are more inclined to explore, trade up and engage.
Own label starts to find its voice
While branded players continue to dominate, own label products are beginning to gain momentum. ASDA’s Hero range has emerged as a strong example, combining quality cues and confident design with the value shoppers expect. It mirrors some of the trust associated with big names like Pedigree and Sheba, but with a modern look that feels considered rather than cut-price.
This is a delicate balance. Pet care is now one of the few grocery categories where emotional loyalty still outweighs price loyalty, much. Owners trust established brands because they feel safe and responsible.
For own label to thrive, it must demonstrate that same sense of care through both product and presentation. Retailers who communicate empathy across food, treats and accessories will find that value no longer has to mean compromise.
The next move for retailers and brands
The next wave of growth in pet care will come from making the in-store experience feel as personal and emotionally charged as the online world. Retailers have a chance to turn the pet aisle into something immersive, blending data-led understanding with creativity.
That could mean layouts shaped by shopping behaviour, storytelling that celebrates the bond between owner and animal, or loyalty schemes that reward thoughtfulness as much as spend.
