You may have frequently encountered the term “AI” or “AI technology” in the media. From unlocking your phone using Face ID, asking for directions on your phone, to interacting with chatbots for problem solving, the utilisation of AI is on the rise. But is it merely a buzzword, or will it transform aspects of life forever? In this Knowledge Centre article, we examine what AI is, how it is likely to develop, and the pros and cons of its use in pet retail.

Firstly, what is AI? AI is an abbreviation for Artificial Intelligence. According to the Oxford Dictionary, AI is defined as “the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision-making and translation between languages.” Although AI has been around for some time, recent advances in technology and data have enabled technicians to build systems capable of completing increasingly complex tasks.

AI will continue to evolve over time—not only for personal use but also for businesses. Companies are already utilising AI in areas ranging from marketing and customer service to product design. But how can pet retailers harness AI, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?

Pet retailers have long been known for offering a unique shopping experience, demonstrating in-depth product knowledge, and understanding the needs of pets. Many in the industry may wonder whether AI can further enhance their customer offerings. This section explores how AI can benefit pet retailers.

Initially, some AI technologies can be expensive to implement. However, over the long term, they can yield significant cost-saving benefits. Increased efficiency ultimately leads to better customer satisfaction. For many pet shops, careful budgeting and prudent spending are key to success.

Traditionally, pet retailers may hire professional photographers, graphic designers, and animators to promote their offerings—a costly endeavour that does not always achieve the desired effect. With AI, it is now possible to create images and assets by simply providing your requirements. The technology can generate suitable images based on your keywords for both physical and online promotional material—a win-win situation for pet retailers looking to save money.

All businesses generate data, regardless of their size. While large corporations often employ data analysts to extract valuable insights and identify areas for improvement, this is not a viable option for many pet shops due to cost. Traditionally, pet shop owners identify market trends by reading industry magazines. By utilising AI, however, pet retailers can analyse their own data to aid in forecasting and making informed predictions.

While AI offers many benefits for pet retail, there are also challenges to consider.

A strong brand identity is essential for differentiating your business from competitors. It visually represents your core values and communicates what your pet shop stands for. Although many retailers utilise AI to assist with creating content for websites, social media, emails, and newsletters—thereby speeding up the content creation process—the data-driven nature of AI can compromise the tone of voice and brand identity. Over-reliance on AI-generated content may make it difficult for customers to connect with your brand. According to Tidio, an AI-powered customer service platform, only 36.9% of readers believed that AI-generated text was written by a human. This indicates that AI still has a long way to go before it can fully earn people’s trust.

Ethics is a major concern when it comes to AI. AI relies on data to function, which can sometimes include the storage of personal details – as recently highlighted by the launch of DeepSeek . There are also ethical issues related to the nature of the content AI creates and the data it uses. Traditionally, human judgement has been relied upon to ensure privacy is maintained; AI, on the other hand, may process data without considering the broader implications. For pet retailers considering the implementation of AI, ensuring customer data privacy is paramount.

To summarise, AI will continue to develop in modern society. Believe it or not, we already utilise AI more frequently than we realise—from unlocking our phones with Face ID to interacting with chatbots to resolve issues. Even Spotify, Amazon, and Netflix make extensive use of AI for search functions and personalised recommendations. As AI evolves, it will benefit both individuals and businesses. Governments around the world are heavily investing in AI. AI is now seen as a very profitable market like the Internet Boom of the late 1990’s, and there is call for a global standards regarding AI development as shown in events like AI Action Summit.

For pet retailers, AI presents several opportunities:

Firstly, AI represents an excellent opportunity to improve efficiency because it can conduct a specific task much faster than a human. Secondly, AI can save costs for pet retailers in the long term because they can minimise the amount of work that they outsource to photographers, graphic designers, blog writers etc. In addition, AI is great for content creation. Many pet retailers have blogs on their websites or social media; if you require ideas, this can be helpful. Without a doubt, another pro of AI is to identify trends in the market. Pet retailers can use AI to monitor if there has been an increase in sales and apply effective stock management tools.

Whilst AI has many advantages, there are also some disadvantages that pet retailers should be conscious of.

When it comes to producing content, it can be very robotic and lacks authenticity and emotion. This is a significant consideration for pet retailers because building a community is a large part of the shopping experience. Loss of brand identity is another challenge because AI relies on data for content, meaning customers may find it hard to connect with your brand without emotion. Some analysts believe that AI will lead to changes in job roles; this could be true for pet shops that look to implement self-checkout tills instead of a worker at the till. Finally, many ethical concerns surround AI, mainly regarding the storage of data and how this is used to form AI content.

Rajnerowicz, K. (2023, July 6th). Human vs AI Test: Can We Tell the Difference Anymore? Retrieved from Tidio: https://www.tidio.com/blog/ai-test/

With the number of avenues people can shop for their pets increasing, pet shops must find effective ways to increase brand awareness, retain customers, and gain new ones. Planning a marketing campaign for your pet shop is a great way to do this. A marketing campaign can be conducted both in-store and online. In-store marketing campaigns drive traffic to the store and increase sales through assets such as signage and printed materials. Online marketing campaigns promote products and services via digital platforms such as social media. However, the two can work hand-in-hand and, if utilised correctly, can help a business develop its sales.

This article will focus on planning a successful marketing campaign for your pet shop. With information about how you can identify objectives for a campaign, how budgeting is a crucial factor, and why target audience and messaging will determine the success of your campaign. In addition, tips on implementing your marketing campaign and measuring the results.

At the start of any marketing campaign, you must identify the purpose. Without this, your campaign may not get the desired results and become lost. Why would you like to run the campaign? What would you like to accomplish for your pet shop? Below are a few simple ideas that you may have for your pet shop to build the basis of your campaign.

• Increase your pet shop’s brand awareness
• Boosting the average spend per customer in your shop
• Generate more sales of a specific product or type of product
• Build your customer base
• Advertise an upcoming event in your store
• Develop your social media presence

Although basic, these are just some building blocks for planning a marketing campaign for your pet shop. As you begin to develop your campaign, you must set objectives. This differs from the purpose of your campaign because objectives are more specific. A standard method to set an objective is through a SMART objectives strategy. This stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound and allows businesses to create, track and accomplish objectives.

Once you have decided on the purpose and objectives, it’s time to review your finances and agree on your spending. Budgeting plays an integral part in a campaign, so you need to think wisely about what activities will have the best returns for your campaign. It is very easy to spend money on different marketing avenues, which may hamper the campaign’s success, so as a pet shop, it is best to focus on a few with a campaign. For example, it is easy to overspend on your shop’s number of leaflets and materials. Alternatively, paying for pay-per-click advertising can quickly consume your budget if it is a digital marketing campaign.

For many businesses, understanding their target audience can be challenging as there are a variety of customer types that could be sold. Therefore, when planning your marketing campaign, you must know your target audience. Having target personas (a fictional profile of a person who represents your target audience, based on specific characteristics) for your pet shop is an excellent method to discover your target audience.

To help build your target personas, you need to understand their interests and touchpoints. For example, for a pet shop owner, ask yourself questions such as:

• What type of content will get my audience’s attention?
• Do they engage better with certain avenues of information, such as leaflets or social media?
• What kind of problems do they have that your product, service or brand could solve?
• What is their income, and can they afford your product or service?

Narrowing down your target audience like this will bring the best results at a cheaper cost for your campaign. An example of a target audience for a campaign where you are trying to convert a customer from a brand of dog food to your own brand of dog food could be:

• Dog owners aged between 21-45 that live near your shop have purchased a premium branded product in the last month.

Choosing the correct methods in which your marketing campaign will run will be dictated by all of the points raised in this article. What method is your target audience most likely to use and be susceptible to your campaign? How much of your budget will you spend on each method?

In modern society, there are many avenues that pet shops can use as part of their marketing campaign, so it is essential to utilise just a few methods. As a pet shop, you may want to utilise the following channels for an in-store campaign that promotes a brand-new product.

Now that you have planned your marketing campaign, it is time to implement it. If everything has been designed to detail, then this should be easy. A decisive factor is the colleagues working in your pet shop. Make sure that they are on board with the marketing campaign and understand the intricacies of it. In addition, you should get your team to help plan the marketing campaign. Finally, your team may have some ideas that you can integrate into your campaign to really get their “buy-in”.

When your marketing campaign is complete, assessing the successes and areas to improve is essential. Measuring and analysing your campaign data can provide insights into your audience, marketing methods and budget. It will also help with planning future marketing campaigns.

The best way to realise if your marketing campaign was a success is by returning to your objectives and realising if you met them. If you did, then that is fantastic. If not, then you need to understand why?

For example, if your objectives were to increase the number of customers visiting your pet shop by 20% over the next three months, any increase in customer traffic may be seen as successful. However, there is a difference between a campaign that works and a worthwhile campaign.

A worthwhile campaign provides a return on investment proportionate to the time and work put into it.

To summarise, as the number of ways for pet owners to shop increases, pet shops must think of ways to drive customers in-store. A fantastic way to do this is by running a marketing campaign. However, for a marketing campaign to succeed, planning is required to ensure that the campaign is successful.

The first stage when planning a marketing campaign involves having a purpose and setting objectives. A simple way to do this is using a method called SMART objectives which allows businesses to create, track and accomplish objectives.

After this stage of planning is complete, it’s time to review your finances and set a budget for the areas you will be spending on the marketing campaign. When budgeting for your campaign, you must think wisely about what activities will have the best returns for your campaign. Spending money on different marketing avenues is very easy, which may hamper the campaign’s success.

One of the most important parts of planning your campaign is knowing your target audience. If you are targeting the wrong type of customer, it will be tough for your campaign to succeed. Having a fictional profile of a person who represents your target audience based on specific characteristics of your pet shop is an excellent method for discovering your target audience. After defining your target audience for your campaign, it’s time to create your campaign’s messaging and methods to reach your customers.

After this is finalised, you can implement and ensure everybody working in your pet shop is on board. They will play a vital role in the success of your campaign.

Finally, it is crucial to review the success or not of the campaign. Data is essential to review the success and this should always be related back to the original objectives.

Mahoney, M. (2003). The Subconscious Mind of the Consumer (And How To Reach It). Harvard Business School.

Score. (2018, August 30th). 77 Percent of U.S. Small Businesses Use Social Media for Sales, Marketing and Customer Service. Retrieved from Prnewswire: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/77-percent-of-us-small-businesses-use-social-media-for-sales-marketing-and-customer-service-300704921.html#:~:text=77%20Percent%20of%20U.S.%20Small,Sales%2C%20Marketing%20and%20Customer%20Service

Simpson, J. (2017, August 25th). Finding Brand Success In The Digital World. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2017/08/25/finding-brand-success-in-the-digital-world/?sh=653e1f42626e

As the cost of living crisis hits various industries, the pet sector appears to be adapting and staying strong. However, this doesn’t mean that everyone running a pet business has not been affected. For example, the increase in online pet retailers and grocery stores has impacted pet owners’ purchasing behaviour. As a result, pet shops have had to alter their selling techniques to retain customers by showcasing the benefits that only a pet shop can offer a customer. In addition, the spending potential of pet owners is expected to be long-term – with each new pet likely to be a part of the owner’s household for a decade or more, the stakes to acquire their business are high. According to a well-known pet food business, customers typically spend less than £200 in their first year. However, this amount doubles in the second year to £400 and reaches around £700 by their fifth year. In addition, some customers spend nearly £1000 a year.

This highlights the needs for pet shops to not only retain customers but also, crucially attract new ones.

Customers are crucial for all businesses to survive and can be categorised by type. Below are several different types of customers to account for when deciding on your customer retention strategy.

This type of customer is a pet shop’s dream and should be a top priority to appease. They are regular customers who tell others about your business and purchase products over an extended period. According to Marketing Metrics, the probability of selling to an existing customer is 14 times higher than the probability of selling to a new customer (Rioux,2020). They also contribute to a significant portion of revenue for most businesses. A fantastic way to keep retaining loyal customers is to obtain feedback from them. This will ultimately help your pet shop to develop and grow.

Impulse customers are an attractive type of customer for pet shops because they are easier to upsell to. In addition, this type of customer buys products spontaneously, which is triggered by impulse. They often go into a pet shop without their hearts set on one product. This category of customer usually responds to recommendations and offers. This is an excellent opportunity to display your expertise and upsell your products as a pet shop business. Furthermore, if they are impressed with the products you recommend, they will be more inclined to return in the future.

This group of customers are heavily influenced by price and discounts. They will often look for the best costings and even try to negotiate with you for a better price. In addition, they will look for seasonal and festive offers. It may be harder to retain transactional customers to your store if price is not your unique selling point. However, they can play a key role for your business by upbringing your business’s inventory and helping purchase products that you may be struggling to sell.

This category of customers buys products based on a particular need. They often know the exact product they require and can be hard for you to upsell to. It is important to note that need-based customers can be quickly drawn to other businesses and will switch to substitute products easily. When it comes to the retention of need-based customers, you need to develop interaction and a positive bond with them. This is attainable by having personal communication with them. Red Point Global found that 32% of customers are willing to overlook a bad customer experience if they feel like a company is trying to understand them as a customer.

As a pet shop, there are several methods you can implement to retain customers. A combination of traditional and digital strategies is an excellent place to start. This article section will look at ways you can implement these into your customer retention strategy.

Implementing a subscription model is another fantastic method to retain customers in your pet shop. This works by customers paying a weekly, monthly or yearly fee in exchange for products. As a result, this ensures that customers keep shopping with you. With a subscription model in place, you can acquire customers’ details and target them with the latest offers in your store. Subscriptions are beneficial to both businesses and customers; this is because customers like it for convenience, as it saves them time researching new products. Whilst businesses like subscriptions because they ensure that they consistently have stock in store. An example of how you, as a pet shop, can administer subscriptions to retain customers is by offering them the opportunity to purchase their weekly pet food repeatedly without the need to remember to purchase. Another advantage is that you will then be able to get their details and advertise the latest offers you have in-store.

User-generated content, also called UGC, plays a considerable role in retaining customers. Firstly it helps by increasing brand loyalty but also influences the purchasing decisions of other customers. A study shows that UGC influences the shopping decisions of 90% of shoppers. Not only is UGC free advertising for your business it encourages others to visit your store to see what you have to offer. For example, suppose you are a pet shop with a social media channel or website. In that case, you can differentiate against online retailers by posting pictures of customers’ pets in your shop interacting with your products. This is something that online retailers cannot offer their customers and increases your chances of a sale if the content is positive about your pet shop.

To summarise, pet shops must consider different ways to retain customers by showcasing products or services that can’t be found elsewhere. Retaining customers is essential to pet shops as the life span of pet owners’ shopping for one pet can be over a decade of recurring sales. This is supported by research showing that after year five of owning a pet, on average, owners will spend £700 compared to £200 in the first year of ownership. When it comes to the retention of customers, pet shops need to understand who they are. Customers can be segmented into categories, and each has its characteristics. For example, loyal customers are the easiest to retain because they have a relationship with your business and have purchased from you over an extended period. Other segments include impulse, transactional and need-based customers that can all be retained consistently but may need a bit of time to develop them to be loyal to your pet shop.

There are several methods that pet shops can use to retain customers. A common way to do this is through loyalty schemes in which customers are rewarded for purchases they have made. This could be anything from a customer purchasing X amount of pet food and getting a freebie to building up points that can be exchanged. Implementing a subscription model for your business has several advantages for you and your customers, including acquiring customers’ details and being able to target them with specific offers. Whilst for customers it is convenient for them as they spend less time researching about new products. Customer service is pivotal to the retention of customers because if a customer is satisfied with their experience, they are more likely to come back but also recommend you to others via word of mouth or user-generated content.

Ackerman, L. (2022, February 9th). 74 Percent of Consumers Believe Brand Loyalty is About Feeling Understood and Valued – Not Discounts and Loyalty Perks. Retrieved from Red Point Global: https://www.redpointglobal.com/press-releases/74-percent-of-consumers-believe-brand-loyalty-is-about-feeling-understood-and-valued-not-discounts-and-loyalty-perks/

Rioux, P. (2020, January 29th). The Value Of Investing In Loyal Customers. Retrieved from Forbes: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesagencycouncil/2020/01/29/the-value-of-investing-in-loyal-customers/?sh=23e4a9621f6b

Cats require some nutrients that are not essential for other mammals. Many of these essential nutrients are found naturally in animal tissues, reflecting that cats have developed specialised nutrient requirements consistent with the evolutionary influence of being strict carnivores (MacDonald et al., 1984).

In addition, when feeding cats, the nutritional composition and the palatability of the diet are crucial. If unpalatable, cats will refuse to eat and consequently may become deficient in essential nutrients, leading to clinical conditions (Zaghini & Biagi, 2005). This highlights the importance of formulating and feeding highly palatable, nutritious diets for cats.

Lipids constitute a group of organic molecules, which include fats and oils. Dietary lipids are a source of essential fatty acids and concentrated energy since fat provides twice the amount of calories per gram compared to protein and carbohydrates. Lipids play an important role as carriers for fat-soluble vitamins and sterols and are components of many hormonal precursors. Additionally, they are utilised to improve the palatability and textural properties of dry kibble (Trevizan & Kessler, 2009).

Fatty acids are integral components of lipids. The essential nature of a fatty acid is primarily due to an animal’s inability to synthesise it in sufficient quantities to meet its metabolic needs (Bauer, 2008). Cats, like dogs, require the essential fatty acid linoleic acid. Linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated omega-6 fatty acid. Fatty acids can be elongated and desaturated into alternative, longer-chained fatty acids. For example, dogs readily convert linoleic acid into arachidonic acid by the enzyme Δ6-desaturase. However, cats are unable to do this as conversion is limited due to the low activity of the enzyme Δ6-desaturase in the cat’s liver. As a result, arachidonic acid is an essential fatty acid in cats and must be obtained in the diet. Arachidonic acid is found in abundant supply in animal tissues, especially the organs (Trevizan et al., 2012). This reinforces the requirement for cats, as obligate carnivores, to consume animal tissues in order to meet their nutritional needs.

Vitamins are organic compounds required only in small quantities and are classed as essential micronutrients. As they are not endogenously synthesised, they must be obtained from the diet. Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions, which are necessary for the maintenance of normal health and metabolic integrity. The dietary requirements of cats for specific vitamins differ from those of most other mammals. These particularities result from significant differences in enzyme activities during the synthesis of niacin (vitamin B3) and vitamin A (NRC, 2006).

Dietary niacin is essential in cats as niacin (and associated compounds including nicotinic acid and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, NAD) plays a fundamental role as coenzymes in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and ketone bodies in cats. Cats, unlike dogs, cannot synthesise significant levels of niacin from the essential amino acid tryptophan. This is due to a very high activity level of an enzyme (picolinic carboxylase) that rapidly converts a metabolite of tryptophan to form acetyl-CoA rather than niacin, resulting in insufficient production of niacin. As a result, the niacin requirement of cats is 2.4 times higher than that of dogs (NRC, 2006).

Similarly, cats require dietary, pre-formed vitamin A. Vitamin A is essential for vision, cellular differentiation, and immune function in cats. Carotenoids, for example, β-carotene, are precursors for vitamin A. They are synthesised by plants and, therefore, are commonly found in vegetables, such as carrots and sweet potatoes. In comparison, animal tissue contains relatively low concentrations of carotenoids and adequate amounts of vitamin A. As obligate carnivores, cats lack the enzyme required to produce vitamin A from β-carotene, and although they can absorb β-carotene, they cannot convert it to vitamin A (Schweigert et al., 2002). Dietary pre-formed vitamin A is only essential in cats, as dogs have the enzymes necessary for converting carotenoids (Zaghini & Biagi, 2005).

As obligate carnivores, cats rely heavily on nutrients readily found in animal tissues. It is important that cats are fed high-protein diets that contain essential amino acids. In addition to the essential amino acids shared with dogs, cats require taurine, which is found in animal-origin ingredients. High concentrations of the essential fatty acid arachidonic acid found in animal tissue reinforce this requirement for nutrients, specifically from animal products. Finally, cats require dietary vitamins that other mammals can endogenously synthesise. Examples of these include niacin and preformed vitamin A.

• Bauer, J. E. (2008). Essential fatty acid metabolism in dogs and cats. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 37, 20-27.
• Eisert, R. (2011). Hypercarnivory and the brain: protein requirements of cats reconsidered. Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 181(1), 1-17.
• FEDIAF. (2021). Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food for Cats and Dogs. European Pet Food Industry Federation, Brussels.
• Hayes, K. C., Carey, R. E., & Schmidt, S. Y. (1975). Retinal degeneration associated with taurine deficiency in the cat. Science, 188(4191), 949-951.
• MacDonald, M. L., Rogers, Q. R., & Morris, J. G. (1984). Nutrition of the domestic cat, a mammalian carnivore. Annual Review of Nutrition, 4(1), 521-562.
• Morris, J. G., & Rogers, Q. R. (1978). Ammonia intoxication in the near-adult cat as a result of a dietary deficiency of arginine. Science, 199(4327), 431-432.
• NRC (National Research Council). (2006). Nutrient requirements of dogs and cats. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.
• Pion, P. D., Kittleson, M. D., Rogers, Q. R., & Morris, J. G. (1987). Myocardial failure in cats associated with low plasma taurine: a reversible cardiomyopathy. Science, 237(4816), 764-768.
• Russell, K., Murgatroyd, P. R., & Batt, R. M. (2002). Net protein oxidation is adapted to dietary protein intake in domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus). The Journal of Nutrition, 132(3), 456-460.
• Schweigert, F. J., Raila, J., Wichert, B., & Kienzle, E. (2002). Cats absorb β-carotene, but it is not converted to vitamin A. The Journal of Nutrition, 132(6), 1610S-1612S.
• Trevizan, L., & Kessler, A. M. (2009). Lipids in dogs and cats’ nutrition: metabolism, sources and application in practical and therapeutic diets. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 38, 15-25.
• Trevizan, L., Kessler, A. M., Brenna, J. T., Lawrence, P., Waldron, M. K., & Bauer, J. E. (2012). Maintenance of arachidonic acid and evidence of Δ5 desaturation in cats fed γ-linolenic and linoleic acid enriched diets. Lipids, 47(4), 413-423.
• Verbrugghe, A., & Bakovic, M. (2013). Peculiarities of one-carbon metabolism in the strict carnivorous cat and the role in feline hepatic lipidosis. Nutrients, 5(7), 2811-2835.
• Zaghini, G., & Biagi, G. (2005). Nutritional peculiarities and diet palatability in the cat. Veterinary Research Communications, 29(2), 39-44.

What We Feed Our Pets Can Affect Their Digestive Health

A healthy digestive system is important for providing a physical and immunological barrier to potential pathogens in the environment and extracting and absorbing nutrients from food to meet the animal’s nutritional requirements. In recent years, it has become increasingly apparent that a healthy microbiome plays a vital role in digestive health and contributes to maintaining overall health and well-being. The term ‘gut microbiome’ refers specifically to the trillions of microorganisms living in the intestinal tract. While some microorganisms are harmful to a pet’s health, many are incredibly beneficial and necessary for a healthy body. Microbes have the capability to unlock and synthesize nutrients that have direct benefits to the pet. Many factors can influence the population of the microbiome, such as age, diet, environment, and antibiotics. Still, diets are often supplemented with ingredients to help promote the growth of healthy gut bacteria to support the best intestinal health. Prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics are just a few ingredients that can help maintain a healthy gut microbiome and digestive health.

Prebiotics have been defined as non-digestible oligosaccharides that stimulate the growth and activity of a limited number of resident colonic bacteria (Gibson and Roberfroid, 1995), which can have a beneficial impact on factors, including digestive health. Two examples of prebiotics are mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS). FOS, oligofructose, and inulin are all oligosaccharides that occur naturally in plants, including sugar beet, onion, garlic, asparagus, banana, artichoke, and chicory, and help to maintain healthy gut bacteria.

Mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS) and beta-glucans are prebiotics isolated from yeast cell walls and are collectively termed mannans. MOS are linked to proteins to form a mannoprotein layer localized to the external surface of the cell. MOS are not digested by digestive enzymes in the small intestine and reach the large intestine structurally unchanged. Lactobacilli and some bifidobacteria metabolize MOS and FOS to form short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) – the preferred fuel source of enterocytes, playing a crucial role in supporting the health of the intestinal tract. MOS are less fermentable by intestinal bacteria than fructooligosaccharides (FOS). However, they provide beneficial effects surrounding digestive health, which will be considered in further depth later in this article.

Probiotics are live microorganisms intended to maintain or increase the numbers of “good” bacteria (normal microflora) in the body. Most probiotics do not like elevated temperature, moisture, pressure, and extremes in pH, making it challenging to incorporate them into pet food. The most common microbial species evaluated for probiotics for use in pet foods are Enterococcus faecium and Lactobacillus acidophilus (both lactic acid bacteria). The bacteria use fermentation to produce lactic and acetic acids, which lower intestinal pH and inhibit the growth of certain potentially harmful bacteria. Probiotics present an appealing approach to the treatment and prevention of many conditions because of their potential to be effective and safe and to result in decreased use of medicines.

Postbiotics are the bioactive compounds and beneficial metabolites made when friendly gut bacteria (probiotics) digest/metabolize/ferment prebiotic substrates. Commercially, postbiotics are produced through precise fermentation processes using specific microorganisms (e.g., yeast) and substrates. According to the International Scientific Association of Probiotics and Prebiotics (ISAPP), a postbiotic is a ‘preparation of inanimate microorganisms and/or their components that confers a health benefit to the host.’ Postbiotics may contain intact inanimate microbial cells and/or fragments with or without metabolites/end products. Postbiotics aim to mimic the beneficial therapeutic effects of probiotics while avoiding the risk and challenges of administering live microorganisms. Consumer interest in postbiotics saw a surge of 91% from 2018 to 2019 (Kerry, 2020). With increasing awareness and focus, it is likely postbiotic claims will increasingly be seen in the pet food and treats market.

FOS promotes the growth of friendly gut bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, although some inconsistent results have been observed in different studies. The feeding of dry food with 1% (w/w) oligofructose significantly influenced the fecal bacterial profile in healthy dogs, with increases seen in the numbers of bifidobacteria but also potentially pathogenic species, streptococci, and clostridia (Beynen et al., 2002). Swanson et al. (2002a) reported the results of two studies, each carried out with 20 dogs. In the first study, FOS supplementation resulted in no significant changes in any of the fecal microbial populations evaluated. In contrast, in the second study, a significant increase in bifidobacteria and a non-significant increase in lactobacilli populations were seen. The reason for these differences is unclear, as the only difference between the studies was that the dogs in the first study were slightly older and slightly heavier than the dogs in the second study.

In another study in dogs, changes in fecal bifidobacteria numbers by dietary FOS supplementation were influenced by the protein content of the diet, with a decrease in bifidobacteria seen in dogs fed a ‘low’ protein diet and an increase in bifidobacteria seen in dogs fed a ‘high’ protein diet (Pinna et al., 2018). Regardless of the protein content of the diet, FOS supplementation increased the apparent total tract digestibility of several minerals (Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, and Fe; Pinna et al., 2018). Similarly, Beynen et al. (2002) reported significantly increased magnesium and calcium absorption in dogs fed an oligofructose-supplemented diet. A possible mechanism of action for the increased mineral absorption is that a decrease in ileal pH (i.e., an increase in acidification) raises the solubility of the minerals, making them more available for absorption by the small intestine.

Dietary FOS cannot be digested by the small intestine and reach the large intestine structurally unchanged, where they are metabolized by the intestinal microflora to form short-chain fatty acids. The short-chain fatty acids produced by this process in the gastrointestinal tract stimulate mucosal growth and epithelial cell proliferation within the small intestine (Thompson et al., 1996). Maintaining a healthy colonic mucosa is important to ensure nutrients are absorbed properly and a healthy gut barrier function is maintained. A number of studies have shown that dietary FOS/oligofructose supplementation results in an increase in fecal levels of short-chain fatty acids (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) in dogs (Swanson et al., 2002b; Propst et al., 2003) and increased fecal butyrate in cats (Barry et al., 2010).

A study conducted by Barry and colleagues (2010) suggests that both FOS and pectin were effective fiber sources in promoting intestinal health in cats. Moreover, FOS had increased benefits when compared to pectin because the fructans appeared to produce a more beneficial microbial population than pectin. The study also concluded that the supplementation of fermentable fibers at 4% of a cat diet is successful in modifying stool protein catabolite and microbial concentrations.

A study conducted by Grieshop and colleagues (2004) into the gastrointestinal and immunological responses of senior dogs to chicory and mannan-oligosaccharides suggests that MOS and chicory alter fecal microbial populations and certain indices of the immune system. Thirty-four senior dogs were randomly allotted supplements of either 1% chicory, 1% MOS, 1% chicory and 1% MOS, or no supplementation for a 4-week baseline period, followed by a 4-week treatment period. An increase in food intake was noted in dietary supplementation with MOS or MOS and chicory, and this was due to an increase in fermentable fiber and a decrease in the energy content of the diet. Chicory supplementation was seen to increase fat digestibility, and chicory or MOS increased fecal bifidobacteria concentrations, while MOS decreased fecal E. coli concentrations.

A study designed by Kore and colleagues (2012) to assess the effect of dietary supplementation of MOS on nutrient digestibility, hindgut health indices, and plasma metabolic profile found that supplementation of MOS at 1% of diet dry matter positively influenced feed intake, fiber digestibility, and markers of hindgut health. The study used five adult dogs in a complete crossover design. The dogs were fed accordingly on a homemade diet alone or supplemented with MOS (at 1% level). A digestion trial conducted at the end of each period revealed that the intake of dry feed matter and other nutrients increased when supplemented with MOS. The digestibility of fiber was improved in the MOS-supplemented group, while that of other nutrients was not affected. The higher fecal concentration of total SCFAs due to MOS supplementation was also recognized, and the addition of MOS tended to reduce fecal coliforms with an associated elevation in lactobacilli count compared to the control diet.

In summary, ‘biotic’ ingredients are becoming an increasingly popular inclusion within pet foods. It is evident there are great marketing opportunities surrounding their inclusion, which is supported by scientific research reflecting the benefits of their use.

Barry, K.A., Wojcicki, B.J., Middlebos, I.S., Vester, B.M., Swanson, K.S., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2010). Dietary cellulose, fructooligosaccharides, and pectin modify fecal protein catabolites and microbial populations in adult cats. Journal of Animal Science, 88(9), 2978-2987. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20495116/

Beynen, A.C., Baas, J.C., Hoekemeijer, P.E., Kappert, H.J., Bakker, M.H., Koopman, J.P., & Lemmens, A.G. (2002). Faecal bacterial profile, nitrogen excretion, and mineral absorption in healthy dogs fed supplemental oligofructose. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 86(9-10), 298-305.

Gibson, G.R., & Roberfroid, M.B. (1995). Dietary modulation of the human colonic microbiota: Introducing the concept of prebiotics. Journal of Nutrition, 125(6), 1401-1412.

Grieshop, C., Flickinger, E., Bruce, K., Patil, A.R., Czarnecki-Maulden, G.L., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2004). Gastrointestinal and immunological responses of senior dogs to chicory and mannan-oligosaccharides. Archives of Animal Nutrition, 58(6), 483-494.

Howard, M.D., Gordon, D.T., Garleb, K.A., & Kerley, M.S. (1995). Dietary fructooligosaccharide, xylooligosaccharide, and gum arabic have variable effects on cecal and colonic microbiota and epithelial cell proliferation in mice and rats. Journal of Nutrition, 125(10), 2604-2609.

Jenkins, D.J.A., Kendall, C.W.C., & Vuksan, V. (1999). Inulin, oligofructose, and intestinal function. Journal of Nutrition, 129(7), 1431S-1433S.

Kerry. (2020). Digestive health demands for pets are growing. Are your products ready? https://www.kerry.com/products/animal-applications/pet-food-nutrition/pet-digestive-health-ingredients

Kore, K.B., Pattanaik, A.K., Das, A., & Sharma, K. (2012). Evaluation of mannanoligosaccharide as prebiotic functional food for dogs: Effect on nutrient digestibility, hind gut health, and plasma metabolic profile. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 82(1), 81-86.

Pinna, C., Vecchiato, G., Bolduan, C., Grandi, M., Stefanelli, C., Windisch, W., Zaghini, G., & Biagi, G. (2018). Influence of dietary protein and fructooligosaccharides on fecal fermentative end-products, fecal bacterial populations, and apparent total tract digestibility in dogs. BMC Veterinary Research, 14, 106-115.

Propst, E.L., Flickinger, E.A., Bauer, L.L., Merchen, N.R., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2003). A dose-response experiment evaluating the effects of oligofructose and inulin on nutrient digestibility, stool quality, and fecal protein catabolites in healthy adult dogs. Journal of Animal Science, 81(12), 3057-3066.

Swanson, K.S., Grieshop, C.M., Flickinger, E.A., Bauer, L.L., Healy, H.P., Dawson, K.A., Merchen, N.R., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2002a). Supplemental fructooligosaccharides and mannanoligosaccharides influence immune function, ileal and total tract digestibilities, microbial populations, and concentrations of protein catabolites in the large bowel of dogs. Journal of Nutrition, 132(5), 980-989.

Swanson, K.S., Grieshop, C.M., Flickinger, E.A., Bauer, L.L., Chow, J., Wolf, B.W., Garleb, K.A., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2002b). Fructooligosaccharides and Lactobacillus acidophilus modify gut microbial populations, total tract nutrient digestibilities, and fecal protein catabolite concentrations in healthy adult dogs. Journal of Nutrition, 132(12), 3721-3731.

Swanson, K.S., Grieshop, C.M., Flickinger, E.A., Healy, H.P., Dawson, K.A., Merchen, N.R., & Fahey, G.C. Jr. (2002c). Effects of supplemental fructooligosaccharides plus mannanoligosaccharides on immune function and ileal and fecal microbial populations in adult dogs. Archives of Animal Nutrition, 56(5), 309-318.

Thompson, J.S., Quigley, E.M., Palmer, J.M., West, W.W., & Adrian, T.E. (1996). Luminal short-chain fatty acids and postresection intestinal adaptation. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 20(5), 338-343.

As consumers become more knowledgeable about pet products, they also become aware of the numerous ways to purchase them. With the increasing trend of online shopping, how can pet stores differentiate themselves and keep customers coming in-store? This article explores pet store differentiation strategies to enhance your shop’s appeal and considers the benefits of expanding your presence online.

Enhancing the In-Store Experience

To stand out, pet shops must offer a unique and engaging shopping experience. According to Super Office, 86% of buyers are willing to pay more for a great customer experience. Here are some key areas to focus on for effective pet store differentiation strategies:

Store Layout and Design

A well-thought-out store layout is crucial. Ensure your shop is easy to navigate, with products displayed clearly and attractively. Pay attention to wall colours, lighting, and point-of-sale displays. A spacious, inviting layout can significantly enhance the customer experience, encouraging them to spend more time in your store.

Exceptional Customer Service

Friendly and knowledgeable staff are vital. Employees who interact positively with customers can make a lasting impression, making shoppers more likely to return. Training your team to be approachable and helpful can differentiate your store from competitors.

To compete with online retailers, pet shops need to offer experiences and services that can’t be replicated online.

Showcasing customer reviews in-store can influence purchasing decisions. Create a review book where customers can leave feedback on products they’ve bought. Display these reviews near the relevant products to build trust and credibility. According to Brightlocal, 69% of customers consider reviews as important as personal recommendations.

With many people seeking quick and convenient shopping experiences, your store must stay competitive. Offer same-day delivery services for local customers to match the convenience of online shopping. Ensure popular items are always in stock to avoid disappointing customers.

Seasonal displays keep your store exciting and relevant. Decorate for holidays like Christmas, Halloween, and Easter to attract customers. Consider hosting seasonal events, such as holiday pet photo shoots, to draw in shoppers and create memorable experiences.

While differentiating in-store is crucial, having an online presence can complement your efforts and reach a broader audience.

Showcasing In-Store Activities Online

Use your website and social media channels to highlight in-store events and promotions. This can attract new customers and remind existing ones to visit your store. An online platform also allows customers to browse products at any time, increasing convenience.

Providing Expert Content

Leverage your expertise by creating an online blog with valuable information on pet nutrition, habits, and care. Helpful content can drive traffic to your site and encourage customers to visit your store for more personalised advice.

In an increasingly online world, pet store differentiation strategies are vital to draw customers in. From hosting in-store events and offering grooming services to emphasising speed and convenience, there are many ways to make your store stand out. Additionally, a robust online presence can support your in-store efforts and attract a wider audience. By combining exceptional customer service, effective merchandising, and innovative pet store differentiation strategies, your shop can thrive in the digital age.

• Hamilton, H. (2019, August 9th). In-Store Retail Events: The Complete Guide. Lightspeedhq.
• Kulbytė, T. (2022, August 16th). KEY CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW. Superoffice.