What’s really in the bowl? Pet parents in the UK want more than buzzwords

Today’s pet parents are deeply engaged with their dogs’ diets, with most prioritizing quality in the same way they do with their own meals. But few know where the food comes from.

Having clear information about the nutritional and health benefits of the food is something dog owners demand, as already unveiled in a PETS International and Yummypets survey.

However, recent research conducted by Mars-owned pet food brand James Wellbeloved, involving 2,082 dog owners across the UK, found that most pet parents do not associate quality ingredients with their origins.

Knowledge gap

Specifically, the study found that while 51% of UK dog parents reported that their animals enjoy playing in soil, 49% were unaware that healthy soil is essential for growing high-quality ingredients and 51% had little to no knowledge of how farming practices affect the quality of these ingredients.

This is perhaps at odds with the nearly 8 out of 10 (79%) respondents who say they take as much care with their pets’ dinners as they do their own.

However, lack of knowledge is not a lack of interest. According to the data, 91% of respondents cite the ingredients in their dog’s food as a key reason for purchase, and 72% want to know more about the origins of these ingredients, which is an opportunity for suppliers to differentiate themselves from competitors, with around half researching the ingredients themselves.

Transparent labelling

A February 2025 PETS International and Yummypets survey in the US, Canada, the UK and France found that 6 out of 10 pet owners say accurate and transparent labeling is essential. Despite this, 2 out of 10 are uncertain about what they are actually feeding their pets.

Natural ingredients are important to pet parents, with 8 out of 10 respondents in the James Wellbeloved survey stating that they make a purchase more likely, ranking them higher than nutritional value (39%) and a trusted brand (25%).

The PETS International research revealed that as many as 4 out of 10 pet parents find marketing claims, such as ‘natural’ or ‘premium,’ on pet food misleading.