Pet Category Boasts Strong Store Brand Loyalty, Dollar General Adds Butcher's Select

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January 31, 2012

Fickle pet owners are increasingly shopping around but exhibit strong brand loyalty to private label products, according to Pet Product Retail Channel and Consumer Shopping Trends in the U.S., a just-released report from market research firm Packaged Facts and coincides with Dollar General’s new store brand dog food, Butcher’s Select.

More than half of all pet owners are shopping multiple outlets and channels in their quest for value. Data from Packaged Facts' September 2011 Pet Owner Survey shows that nearly half (47 percent) of pet product buyers shop for these items at a variety of stores. Additional Experian Simmons data cited in the report shows that the percentage of dog or cat owners who are channel-loyal -- shopping for pet products in a single retail channel -- fell to 41 percent in 2011, down from 53 percent as recently as 2006.

Store brands, however, are garnering increased loyalty. Since 2008, the recession and its “new normal” aftermath of economic sluggishness have caused budget-conscious consumers to demand more value in the products they buy and chart out grocery shopping trips beforehand, according to Packaged Facts. Increasingly shoppers are willing to switch channels and brands to make ends meet or satisfy shifting priorities.

Retailers are meeting these tighter budgets with new store brands like Butcher’s Select, a premium dog food made by Mars Petcare US for Dollar General and includes both wet and dry dog food products.

"Dollar General is proud to add Butcher’s Select Premium Food for Dogs to our pet food assortment," said Todd Vasos, Dollar General's chief merchandising officer. "Many of our customers count on Dollar General for all their pets' needs, and we are pleased to broaden our assortment with Butcher’s Select brand, which offers great quality at a great value."

Packaged Facts survey data show high levels of affection for store brands among pet product buyers, 49 percent of whom are buying more store-brand food and beverage products for household use these days, and 45 percent of whom agree that "store-brand pet products are often as good as national brand name products," states the report.

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