Pet humanization drives UK demand for healthier pet diets
Research shows that 4 in 5 owners want to make more health-conscious choices for their dogs.
The rising trend of pet humanization in the United Kingdom is reflected in the way owners approach feeding, often treating their pets’ meals with the same care and standards they apply to their own diets.
In a study by British online supermarket Ocado Retail, nearly half (48%) of pet owners say they wouldn’t feed their dog anything they wouldn’t eat themselves, and two-thirds (66%) note they are more conscious of what’s in their dog’s diet than they were a year ago.
“We’ve seen a shift in how people are shopping for their pets. Customers are increasingly looking for dog food that mirrors the quality and ingredient standards they’d expect for themselves – whether that’s grain-free recipes, recognizable ingredients or higher welfare meat,” says Millie Stevens, pet food buyer at Ocado.
Additionally, 69% of owners now check ingredients on the packaging before buying dog food, and 4 in 5 say they want to make more health-conscious choices for their pets. Meanwhile, over half (55%) already serve their dogs a natural, whole food diet – and 41% say they’ve made the switch just in the past year.
Savanta conducted the study of 2,000 UK citizens between 8-12 August 2024 and 8 August 2025.
Brand breakdown
An analysis of Ocado sales data comparing the performance between July 2024 and July 2025 shows that Edgard & Cooper’s Adult Grain Free Wet Dog Food with Game & Duck rose 500% year-over-year (YoY), while Forthglade Senior Whole Grain White Fish with Brown Rice increased 107%.
Household names also saw gains, with Lily’s Kitchen Beef Goulash up 42% and Chicken & Turkey Casserole up 38% YoY. Unit sales for Lily’s, Scrumbles, Forthglade, tails.com and Edgard & Cooper climbed 33.5% YoY.
When it comes to treats, Forthglade’s Digestive Health Soft Bite Treats, made with all-natural ingredients, were up 205% YoY, while their Calming Treats were up 111%.
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