The UK is a nation of pet-lovers as well as shopkeepers, with 48% of our omnibus survey respondents currently owning a pet, a further 7% having owned a pet in the past and considering another pet, and a further 31% saying they have previously had a pet, though they are not currently considering a new companion. Only 18% of individuals stated that they have not owned a pet, nor would they consider owning one. The Covid-19 pandemic saw rates of pet ownership increasing, with an estimated 3.2 million pets being bought during the pandemic.
The impacts of the cost-of-living crisis have been broad and wide reaching. We aimed to explore the impact that the rising cost of living is having upon of pet ownership and pet spending habits, asking whether people are more or less likely to consider buying a first or further pet and how they may have made cuts to their spending on their pets.
Some of the M·E·L Research Pets
Pet ownership and the cost of living crisis
In general, the rising cost of living in the UK has meant that 51% of respondents are now less likely to either get their first or another pet in the next 12 months, with 5% saying they are more likely to get a pet, and 17% stating the increasing cost of living has not impacted upon their likelihood to get another pet.
The most common choice for a next / first pet is a dog (57%). This is largely consistent with the increase in pet adoptions in 2023: the number of dogs being adopted has risen by 5% and the number of cats by 2% according to the Dog’s Trust. The majority state that they would get their pet from either an animal charity (45%) or a UK rescue centre (51%) – though friends breeding from their own dogs is also a consideration, with 1 in 5 saying they would consider getting a pet from a friend.
Looking at general spending on pets, our survey suggests that over the 6 months to April 2023, spending on pets for the majority remained stable (54% report not having changed their spending on their pets).
However, 30% reported increased spending, whilst 16% have reduced their spending. Breaking down spending habits, the results suggest that the area most impacted by changes in spending is day to day food – which 45% ranked first as the item they had changed their spending on. The second most affected item was treats, with 15% ranking this first and 29% ranking it second. In all, the top three affected areas were: Day-to-day food, treats and medications and topical treatments. These rankings could in part be due to the composition of overall spending on pet care – with day-to-day food being the most common and typically highest expense, therefore the area of most change.
Nonetheless, though 51% reported that they have not changed their spending, there is a level of concern that the cost-of-living crisis will begin to impact on people’s abilities to look after their pets. A third (33%) expressed this fear – with 15% currently feeling this way, 12% feeling so in the last 6 months and 4% experiencing this in the past 12 months. Those living in Greater London are more likely to be concerned (52%), whilst South East England and the South West seem the least concerned that they will be unable to afford to care for their pets (21% and 19% respectively).
This concern has been something to watch for animal charities as individuals consider placing their pets in shelters as the cost-of-living crisis continues to place further strain on finances. 13% of respondents had considered giving up their pets at some point, rising to 25% in North East England and 28% in Greater London. As of April, for those considering giving away their pets 30% would give them to family and 29% would give them to rescue centres.
Despite rising prices however, the majority were not yet concerned about their ability to care for their pets (67% of the sample), illustrating that perhaps taking care of our pets remains a priority for UK households, and 83% of the total have not considered giving up their pets, despite the prospect of increased cost. This sentiment is strongest amongst women (89%), those aged 55-64 (94%) and 65+ (97%). It seems that we remain strongly attached to our pets and will continue to rely on them for our wellbeing and all the benefits they provide.
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