Back in March, UK supermarkets warned of a shortage of some dog and cat food products following an "unprecedented" rise in pet ownership during lockdown. They also commented that these shortages could last several months.
Sainsbury’s, one of the major retailers who have experienced shortages in both wet and dry cat and dog food has claimed a rise in pets purchased throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason behind these shortages. In an email to customers, the company said, “Due to a national shortage of dog and cat food pouches, we're sorry if you're not able to find your usual product at Sainsbury's”. They have reported shortages in numerous leading cat food brands throughout this period including Sheba, Whiskas, Felix, Cesar, and Pedigree, although it is not known if specific brands are experiencing more shortages than others.
Sainsbury’s have also commented that they are “working hard to resolve this” and that whilst they “think the issue will be ongoing through the year”, they “hope to get them back onto shelves as quickly as possible”, although it is not known for sure how long these shortages are to last.
Among the more dangerous of the lockdown trends was the rapidly increasing numbers of people taking on pets, particularly puppies in the UK. Data taken in January 2020 revealed that 1,800 people had called the Dog's Trust in the first three months of 2020, all looking to give up dogs under the age of one. The Kennel Club, which is the largest organisation in the UK devoted to dog health, welfare, and training, claimed a quarter of new puppy owners had impulsively bought a pet during the pandemic, without any prior research into their needs or any forethought into the challenges that accompany pet ownership.
According to a host of major retailers, it is this sudden rise in people taking home puppies and kittens that has impacted the availability of pet food, with suppliers unable to meet demand, especially when you take into account that the pet food industry was already one working close to its manufacturing capacity.
It’s not just the UK where demand for pet food is outstripping supply. Pet food shortages have been seen across Europe, with some owners resorting to feeding their animals with other products.
There are also bigger global issues at play, with concerns that increased demand for wheat and grain in China could cause shortages of some ingredients in the supply chain. It has also been reported that supply chains of many products, pet foods included have been disrupted by Brexit, with hauliers being required to complete extensive paperwork at UK borders.
Whilst it is still uncertain when these shortages will end, it is likely something the pet food industry will have to adjust to as a pet is for life, not just for lockdown.
