Purina in Society Report Showcases Positive Impact, 8 Trends in Petcare Market

On the eve of the United Nations’ World Environment Day, Purina has revealed eight trends that will impact the future of pet care. This data has been released as part of their third Purina in Society Report, which also details emerging challenges for the pet care industry, with key findings identified on the basis of more than 100 interviews with vets, media, sector leaders, Purina partners and key opinion leaders.

The Purina in Society (PinS) Report also showcases the impact of Purina’s initiatives, partnerships and collaborations on the lives of pets, the people who love them and the planet. The report provides a detailed account of progress against Purina’s commitments to society and it is prepared in accordance with GRI Standards Sustainability Reporting Guidelines (2018/2020) at the Core option.

In the last two years, among other activities, Purina has:

• Launched 30 new products to improve the health and wellbeing of pets – including PRO PLAN LIVECLEAR, the first and only cat food that reduces allergens present on cat hair and dander, which has been awarded the Allergy UK ‘Allergy Friendly Product Award’.
• Reached 94 percent of deforestation free soya and 78 percent of packaging designed to be recyclable
• Supported the adoption of 98,731 pets – in the UK our financial support focused on helping Cats Protection feed one million meals to cats in their care.
• Created 209 Pets at Work alliances to support pet friendly workplaces across Europe – in the UK Purina has supported companies to become dog friendly and will continue to champion the mental health benefits pets at work can bring as offices begin to reopen.
• During the Covid-19 pandemic, donated more than £190,000 to four charities across the UK & Ireland (Cats Protection, Canine Partners, the RSPCA and the DSPCA)

Jeff Hamilton, CEO at Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe, Middle East and North Africa, said: “We are in the process of defining new ambitions and will be reviewing our commitments to ensure that we can truly operate within the planetary limits and positively impact people and society at large. This will push us to go further and faster, drive progress on social issues and continue to fulfil our purpose – creating richer lives for pets and the people who love them.”

Calum Macrae, Regional Managing Director for Purina UK & Ireland said: “I’m incredibly proud of what we have managed to achieve in both the UK and Ireland, particularly through our charity partnerships, which became more important than ever during the pandemic. Covid-19 has brought us all many challenges during the past year, but what has become clear is that the role of the pet human bond has never been stronger, with more and more people choosing to own a pet. This is a trend that looks set to continue and we will continue to champion the vital role pets have to play – we want to work to create a resilient future for pets, our planet and the communities where we operate.”

During the pandemic, Purina donated more than £190,000 to charity partners across the UK and Ireland(including Cats Protection, Canine Partners, the RSPCA and the DSPCA in Ireland) that helped to ensure that our four legged friends were not forgotten at the height of the crisis. The donations were aimed at helping charities struggling with the loss of their usual income to still provide ongoing support to pets in their care. Over 150,000 meals were also donated directly to animal welfare charities across the UK and Ireland. In addition, 550,000 meals were donated to Community Shop – a social enterprise supermarket – which sells food to its members at discounted rates. Meaning that much-loved family pets could continue to be fed when finances became strained due to Covid-19.

The report also highlights the changes facing the sector as a whole. Based on insights from market research and more than 100 interviews to industry experts, Purina has shared eight trends that will shape – or are already shaping – the future of the pet care as well as six challenges that the industry will face. To view the full report, click here.