Poundstretcher has cut the price of over 100 pet products, while appointing animal welfare-supporting Blue Cross as its first national charity partner.
The variety discounter has also introduced hundreds of new products under its Pet Hut brand in its 305 stores, from household names such as Bonio, Cesar, Harringtons, Pedigree, Wagg and Winalot.
Poundstretcher – which was bought last year by US investment firm Fortress – said the soaring cost of pet ownership had made animals an unseen casualty of the cost of living crisis, with abandonment rates rising.
Research from Nestlé showed the cost of owning a cat or dog had increased by almost 65% in the past four years, and 10.9% in the past year alone, Poundstretcher said.
Meanwhile, abandoned pets last year accounted for 13% of admissions to Blue Cross animal hospital and rehoming centres, up one percentage point on the year before.
“Owning a pet can be a real challenge financially, especially during the current cost of living crisis, which in turn has put huge strains on household budgets,” said Poundstretcher commercial director Tony Fearon.
“This is why Poundstretcher has decided to permanently reduce the price of over 100 pet products as well as introduce hundreds of new products in our stores, all at market-leading prices, through the Pet Hut brand.
“Pets have sadly been one of the casualties in the cost of living crisis, and we would hate to think that any of our customers have to choose between eating, heating their home or feeding their pet. This is why we’ve decided to play our part by ensuring that feeding your pet through our Pet Hut brand is as affordable as possible for our customers.”
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Blue Cross CEO Chris Burghes said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as Poundstretcher’s first ever national charitable partner. We’re excited to be working together to help support customers with advice and other activities throughout the year ahead to help all pets enjoy a healthy and happy life with people who love them.”
Poundstretcher is also set to give away free wild bird suet blocks on 20 February so customers can feed wild birds on ‘National Love Your Pet Day’, in partnership with Harvest Pet Products.
Fearon joined Poundstretcher in October, moving from Morrisons, where he had been category director for health, beauty, baby, home & leisure. His appointment was one of two poaches from Morrisons at the time, with Miles Foster, the supermarket’s former operations director for the central region, becoming Poundstretcher’s group operations director.
Both report to Andy Atkinson – himself a former Morrisons group commercial director – who was appointed Poundstretcher CEO in April last year following Fortress’s acquisition of the discount chain from Aziz Tayub.
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