Mars halts supply of Whiskas and Pedigree to the UK’s largest supermarket chain

A spokesperson for Tesco told GlobalPETS that they will “not pass on unjustifiable price increases to our customers.”

“With household budgets under increasing pressure, now more than ever we have a responsibility to ensure customers get the best possible value,” they added.

The retailer claimed that they have good availability across alternative products, including branded and own-brand pet food products.

Tesco hopes to have this issue resolved “soon” and Mars wants to “reassure pet owners that their favorite products are in supply and remain widely available in the UK marketplace.”

Volatile market

Tesco suggested that the pet care brand increased the prices of its products in a time of high inflation, but this hasn’t been officially confirmed by Mars as they “cannot comment on individual commercial relationships.”

A Mars spokesperson told GlobalPETS that price adjustment has “been necessary” in a volatile marketplace marked by wide-ranging inflationary pressures. However, they claimed they will “continue to absorb these rising costs as much as possible.”

The pet food maker said that they are “constantly reviewing” a whole range of factors that impact the business, including the cost and availability of raw materials, currency fluctuations, transport costs, consumer behavior, market trends and the macroeconomic landscape.

“The in-store price continues to be at the sole discretion of the retailer.”