7 in 10 (70%) cat owners will feed their cat solely on cat food, while almost a quarter (24%) feed them a mixture of both cat food and leftovers, while there are 6% who claim to only feed their cat leftovers. This research, conducted on behalf of Retail Intelligence by Empathy Research, amongst a nationally representative sample of 1,011 adults aged 18+, sought to understand purchase behaviour in this category.
Dry food/mixers are the most popular type of cat food purchased amongst those who buy cat food, with just over 6 in 10 (61%) claiming to purchase. However, more so than we have seen with dog owners, the purchase of cat food which comes in pouches (46%) and cans (33%) is much more prevalent. Biscuits (10%), trays (8%) and chews (6%) are far less popular in this category than in the dog food category.
When it comes to the key brands in the cat food category, supermarket own brand plays a significant role. Almost half (48%) of those who buy cat food claim to buy a supermarket own brand. Of the branded options available, Whiskas is the most popular with just over 4 in 10 (42%) claiming to purchase. Competition is quite strong in this category with Go Cat (23%) taking a sizeable share, with Felix (16%) performing well also. Sheba (9%), Royal Canin (9%) and Purina One (7%) are all evenly matched in terms of share. There are 6 in 10 (60%) cat food buyers who claim a special offer on their preferred brand of cat food would lead them to make a visit to a store they don’t usually shop in.
Ensuring that the cat will actually eat the cat food is the most important aspect cited when it comes to selecting a type of cat food to purchase, with almost 6 in 10 (55%) claiming this to be their key consideration.
The quality of the product is less important in this category, with just over 1 in 5 (22%) cat food buyers claiming this aspect to be most important, significantly less than the proportion of dog food buyers (36%) who perceive quality to be most important.
For further information and more in-depth analysis on consumer behaviour when it comes to purchasing cat food and other pet food products, please contact Robbie Clarke at Empathy Research.
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