Revealed: Pet food ranks high in brand and retailer loyalty

A new survey reveals that, much like baby products, most pet parents stick to a specific brand when purchasing food for their furry friends.
Data from American retailer Kroger’s analytics unit 84.51° shows that 70% of pet food buyers stay loyal to a specific brand, while only 25% are willing to switch to a lower-cost option.
This reluctance to switch is second only to baby care shoppers, of whom just 21% are open to changing brands.
Pet food also ranks among the top 3 categories for retailer loyalty. 68% of shoppers prefer a specific retailer to purchase pet food from, while only 32% are indifferent.
What is driving consumer loyalty?
Key drivers of loyalty across various categories, including pet food, are value for money (84%), trusted brands (56%) and product variety (51%).
For pet food shoppers, consistent quality (72%), product findability (65%) and brand reputation (63%) are important.
Retailers attract loyalty through consistent prices (60%), store promotions (49%) and convenient locations (48%). The most influential factors for choosing a preferred retailer are its proximity to home or work (74%) and a wide product selection (72%).