Pets at Home research: millions of Brits to spend more on furry friends than family at Christmas
According to Pets at Home research, involving 2,000 Brits, 3.1 million UK households will spend more on gifts for their furry friends than any other family member.
43% plan their festive celebrations around their pets, with 14% even skipping events with family and friends to stay home with them..
54% of pets will wake up to their very own Christmas present, and rabbits are officially the most spoilt species as 70% will receive a special gift this year. They will enjoy an array of festive treats including: A specially cooked festive meal (41%); Corgis receive a truly royal treatment, with 31% getting a seat at the Christmas dinner table; Unwrapping other family members’ presents (20%); Opening a fun filled stocking (17%); Having a special Christmas outfit (13%).
30% of owners would happily kick their partner off the sofa if their pet wanted to sit there, while 29% say their furry friend always gets the “best seat in the house” at Christmas. A quarter even let their pet share their bed during the festive season - a figure that climbs to 44% among owners of the nation’s most pampered pooch, the Cavapoo.
Grooming is taking priority over personal pampering this Christmas, with one in four owners admitting they book a grooming appointment before thinking about their own festive haircut. Another quarter say they are more likely to buy a new festive outfit for their pet than for themselves.
When it comes to capturing Christmas memories, pets are front and centre. One in four say their dog, cat etc features in every family photo, while more than one in five admit they take more pictures with their pet than with anyone else. For some (10%), their pet appears as the sole star of the family Christmas card.
Dr. Samantha Butler-Davies, Veterinary Services Director at Pets at Home says: “In so many households Pets are firmly at the heart of festive celebrations. From special gifts to planning Christmas around them, it’s clear how much love, joy, and companionship they bring to families up and down the UK.
"As we increasingly integrate pets into our festive traditions, it’s more important than ever to provide a quiet space where they can retreat and relax. Choosing pet-safe decorations, introducing guests gradually, sticking to familiar routines, and keeping an eye on their social cues can all help reduce stress and ensure they stay happy and calm throughout the entire festive season.”
Buyer beware
Pets at Home, which operates hundreds of stores across the UK, as well as an online operation, recently urged customers to stay safe when shopping with it, amid a rise in fraudulent websites and online adverts attempting to trick people into handing over their payment details.
In an email, it said: “We’re reaching out with an important message to help protect you and your personal information. We’ve been made aware of some fraudulent websites and online adverts that are impersonating Pets at Home, in an attempt to trick customers into providing payment details.”
These fake sites closely mimic its official website and are being widely promoted through social media adverts, making them appear legitimate.
Shoppers should look out for slight misspellings in the web address (e.g., “Petathome.eu” instead of “Petsathome.com”), unfamiliar designs or layouts, unusually low prices or offers that seem too good to be true, competitions requesting them to pay a shipping fee, adverts on social media that redirect them to suspicious websites, and requests for unusual payment methods.
Pets at Home’s email concluded: “Only shop through our official website. Use our official Pets at Home app, available on the Apple App Store and Google Play. Search 'Pets at Home' and look for our logo. Be wary of unusually low prices or offers that seem too good to be true.”
“Be cautious when clicking on social media adverts - always double check the URL. Do not enter payment details on any site unless you are certain it is legitimate. If you’re ever unsure, contact our customer service team directly via our website.”
2025 RTIH INNOVATION AWARDS
Physical stores and online retail were key focus areas at the 2025 RTIH Innovation Awards.
We received a record number of entries and many fantastic examples of the continued resilience and dynamism of the retail space during hugely challenging times.
For a full rundown of all of the shortlisted entries, click here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC in Central London on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
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