UK pet owners are open to sustainable pet food, but cost can be a barrier

More than half (56%) of UK pet owners say ingredients they recognize and understand matter when buying pet food.

A survey of 1,000 consumers conducted by Vypr and UK Pet Food in October and November 2025 found that women over 55 years old are most likely to check labels, while men between 45 and 54 tend to just glance at them.

Meanwhile, 13.5% of all respondents do not pay attention to ingredients at all, while another 12.2% rely on brand trust.

When it comes to trying new or innovative pet food products, many pet owners want professional guidance or the chance to assess the product themselves.

More than 2 out of 10 (21.6%) say they would be more confident if a veterinarian recommended it, while 21.6% would be interested in free samples or trial offers.

Around 18.6% would consider such products based on positive reviews from other pet owners, and roughly 10% would look for clear safety certifications and testing.

Sustainability

Among UK pet owners, about a third (33.5%) say sustainability is somewhat important, and they consider it alongside other factors when buying pet food. This view was most common among men aged 45-54 (40.7%), followed by women in the same age group (40.5%).

Additionally, 7.5% believe sustainability is very important and say they “actively choose sustainable options.” The trend is stronger among Gen Z men (12.2%) and women (11.5%) aged 18 to 24.

However, more than 1 in 5 (21.5%) say sustainability is not very important compared to other factors, with women aged 18-24 citing this most often.

When asked whether they would pay more for sustainable products, 35.2% say they might, depending on the added cost, while only 9.2% say they definitely would. Another 18.5% say they would not be willing to increase spending, as price matters more to them.

Expected trends

The Vypr-UK Pet Food survey also asked owners about the trends they expect to impact the pet food market in the future. 34.4% hope for more products to provide longer, healthier lives for their animals, 27.8% tend toward personalized nutrition and tailored diets, and 18.6% look forward to a “move away from processed foods.”

Even at a smaller amount, pet parents are also expecting nature restoration connected to pet food (12%), increased offerings of new protein sources such as plant-based, insect and lab-grown (11.8%) and stricter rules and regulations in the market (10.8%).