Londoners are spending more money on food for their dogs than on themselves, a new study has found.
It’s the last thing you’d expect during a cost-of-living crisis, but we splurge more on dining for our canine companions than for the food our own plates.
In fact, more than half of residents in the capital (58 per cent) say they wouldn’t feed their dog anything they wouldn’t eat themselves.
Leading dog food brands are reaping the benefit, with sales of luxury dog food up a staggering 500 per cent year on year, according to data from Ocado.
Rather than bog-standard scraps, our furry friends are tucking into gourmet-style dinners such as chicken casserole and beef goulash.
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Consumers are increasingly choosing premium meals with higher quality ingredients, including Lily’s Kitchen Beef Goulash and Chicken & Turkey Casserole.
And pet owners are also splashing out on tasty treats for between meals too, with sales of Forthglade’s Digestive Health Soft Bite Treats more than 200 per cent up on last year.
Buyers are also becoming more conscious, with 82 per cent saying they check the ingredients on a pet product before putting it in their trolley.
More than half (55 per cent) say they only feed their dogs natural, whole food, with 59 per cent saying they have made the switch in the last year.
How much do you spend on your pet’s food?
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More than on my own
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Roughly the same as on myself
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I spend more on my meals than on my pet’s
Ocado’s pet food buyer Millie Stevens said: ‘We’ve seen a shift in how people are shopping for their pets.
‘Customers are increasingly looking for dog food that mirrors the quality and ingredient standards they’d expect for themselves – whether that’s grain-free recipes, recognisable ingredients, or higher welfare meat.’
London has gone so barking mad for its pets that Ocado has even launched a ‘bark to basics’ aisle, stuffed full of discounted organic pet food.
Marc Jacobson, head of marketing at Edgard & Cooper, said: ‘Pet parents aren’t just feeding their dogs anymore – they’re nourishing them, with the same care and quality they’d expect for themselves.’
He added: ‘Our growth shows this isn’t a fad, but a meaningful shift in pet care, driven by the humanisation of pets and the demand for transparency and wellness.’
Who said a dog’s life was that bad?
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