2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, according to the Chinese zodiac. But when it comes to pet ownership in the UK, it looks like it will also be the year of the dog, cat, guinea pig, goldfish – and just about every other type of animal companion that you can think of!
Pets pad, paw, hop, scurry and swim in well over half of Britain’s homes today, with the number of UK pet owners peaking to an unprecedented high of 62 percent in 2021/22. This is likely as a result of increased time spent at home now that remote working has become the norm for many people.
Cats purr and lapdogs perch loyally beside laptops across the land, as gerbils steal the limelight during online presentations and fish pout in the background on Teams calls.
New year, new diet - for humans and pets alike
With chocolate boxes long since polished off and Christmas cakes reduced to crumbs, lots of people are turning their attention towards a healthier diet for the new year. It’s not just about a cleaner lifestyle, its about a cleaner conscience too…
A survey by The Vegan Society showed that almost half of Brits who eat meat feel hypocritical for loving animals while eating others. That might explain why Veganuary has become a major and hugely popular event on the calendar of every ethical consumer, not least pet owners.
What’s Veganuary?
Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try being vegan for January and beyond. Over 629,000 people signed up to do Veganuary in 2022 and people from 228 countries and territories took part.
The campaign encourages and supports the switch to plant-based eating and drinking as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and enjoying health benefits.
People with pets are looking for ways to extend their vegan principles into the mealtimes of their pet pals as well as into their own diet. So much so, that the worldwide vegan pet food market is projected to reach just under $16 million by 2028.
Almost half of cat owners and 45% of dog owners said that they would be interested in purchasing vegan pet food.
Plant-based pet food = a smaller carbon pawprint
Fullers Fulfilment is a pet care fulfilment service based in Hampshire, Berkshire and The Midlands. We store, pick, pack and distribute pet food and other pet care products for a menagerie of pet care brands including Mars Petcare/James Wellbeloved and vegan pet care brands such as Yarrah and Vegeco.
We’ve seen the vegan pet care sector grow in leaps and bounds over recent years, with sustainability a driving force behind that expansion.
Climate change is headline news and consumers are more aware of the negative impact that their consumption – and that of their animal friends – is having on the environment. There’s been a 71% rise in online searches for sustainable goods over the past five years, as more and more people shop with the climate in mind.
Did you know that one kilo of beef protein has a carbon opportunity cost of 1,250kg, which is roughly equal to driving a new car for a year, or to one passenger flying from London to New York and back? Vegan dog food uses 61% less water and 92% less land during production compared to traditional dog food.
Vegan pet food replaces traditional animal proteins (e.g. meat and fish) with protein-rich plants and ingredients such as grains, lentils, rice, blueberries, carrots, peanuts and pumpkin. Fortification with vitamins and minerals claims that the micronutrient needs of animals are met.
Storage and fulfilment solutions for your vegan pet care ecommerce business
By participating in Veganuary – or adopting a plant-based lifestyle for themselves and their animals long-term - people can help reduce the environmental impact of their shopping list.
The success of vegan pet food brands, such as our clients Yarrah and Vegeco, is proof of the consumer hunger to be as kind to the planet and all its creatures as they are to their beloved pets.
Fullers Fulfilment provides an end-to-end fulfilment solution to help your pet care brand optimise this window of opportunity in 2023.
- Orders are automatically picked by our diligent team of animal lovers, same day for next day delivery
- Links with the most trusted couriers get you the best delivery rates to pets in destinations worldwide
- Bespoke packaging options, including sustainable materials
- Pet care subscription service fulfilment, including personalisation if desired
- Full system integration to give you real-time stock visibility and crucial business insights
- Ambient storage, stringent quality control and careful stock/batch rotation
- Returns processing
Let’s make 2023 a happy and healthy year for your pet care business and all your customers.
Contact us to talk about your pet care fulfilment requirements today.
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