The UK Pet Industry: Market Insights & Statistics

Market Insights

It’s important you understand the pet market and grooming industry so you can build a successful dog grooming business. You must know your target market

Cat and Dog Population
*Source: pdsa report 2022

Regional Cat and Dog Population 2019
Please see below information on the regional dog population. *

*Figures are based on average results from the last 4 years of surveys (2016 - 2019), in order to provide a reliable result.  However, number of dogs per household is taken from 2019's data only.
Source: PFMA 2019

Please see below information on the regional cat population. *

*Figures are based on average results from the last 4 years of surveys (2016 - 2019), in order to provide a reliable result.  However, number of cats per household is taken from 2019's data only.
Source: PFMA 2019

Customer spending... did you know

• Over a quarter of pet owners admit they like to pamper their pets and women in particular find it hard to pass by a new toy or a treat even if they did not plan on buying it (46%). Mintel 2015
• More than a quarter of Brits got a new pet during lockdown, the highest of new pet owners were in Scotland (36%) followed by London (31%) (source: YouGov)
• One in five of us splurges £20 a month on outfits for our dog or cat. Mintel 2015
• Brits are spending a fortune on their furry friends with the average owner splurging £2136 a year - or £178 a month. (source: Money Expert)
• Globally, the pet care market has grown from $216 billion in 2020 to $232 billion in 2022. An estimated 6.1% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR), will catapult that figure to $350 billion by 2027. (source: Common Thread Co)
• The craze for dressing up our pets seems set to continue with owners spending, on average, nearly £200 a year on clothes for their pets, with over one in five (22 per cent) admitting they spend up to £20 on outfits each month. Outfits are the third highest expenditure for dog owners and the second highest for cat owners, after food. Mintel 2015
• 40% of young pet owners admitted that they would spend just as much money on their pet at special times of the year such as Christmas as they would on a friend (source: Garden Centre Buyers)
• In total, the UK spends over £10 billion a year on their dogs alone and £8 billion on cats. Mintel 2015
• While eight in 10 consumers have changed their grocery shopping habits to save money, new research shows only one in 10 pet owners have cut back on what they spend on their animals. It finds 42% spoil pets with treats even though their budgets are tight, with more than half of dog owners indulging their pooches with Christmas stockings.
  Source: business independent source
• 48% of owners are treating more than twice a day. (PMFA Annual Report 2014)
• 66% of owners buy accessories for their pets as well as birthday and Christmas presents. 
32% buy treats and gifts more often for their pets than their partners. 
(Petplan Pet Census 2011)
• £264 is the average annual spend on presents for pets (source: One Poll, 2015)
• 27% of dog owners get their pet spa-style treatments (source: One Poll, 2015)
• 25% of pet owners but their pets birthday presents (source: One Poll, 2015)
• In the last 5 years spending on pet gifts has grown by £286,000,000 (source: One Poll, 2015)
• 88% of people admit to spending up to £50 on extravagant presents for their pets (source: One Poll, 2015)

Looking at the demand in your area

Sizing up your competition
To get a better sense of your competition and demand in your area look at:

Number of dogs in your county and neighboring counties. Then to work out your potential market, find 60% of this to give you a rough guide as to how many dogs in your catchment area require grooming on a regular basis (every 6-8 weeks).

Dog owner demographic for your area – age, sex, class, income level, education, where they shop, what they buy, what they drive etc.

Groomers/competitors in your area:

• Number of competitors
• What type of business do they have – high street shop, mobile, work from home…
• What is their current waiting time for an appointment
• Their services and pricing
• Their USP and what would make your different