Published
1st October 2026
Read time
6 min read

Mews from PATS: the trends shaping pet marketing right now

We spent time this week at PATS, the UK's largest pet trade show, listening to what's shaping the industry before it reaches the mainstream. The trends below aren't predictions, they are what was already on many exhibitor and buyer's lips on the show floor. Here's what you need to know before your next campaign.

Humanisation of pet care

There's an age-old rule in pet trends: the cat follows the dog, and the dog follows the human. Whatever's happening in human health, wellness and lifestyle tends to filter down to our pets a few years later, and right now that pipeline is moving faster than ever.

We're no longer talking about pet owners, we're talking about pet parents. It's not just a language shift, it reflects how people actually think about their pets: as family. Dogs are now on track to outnumber children in the UK, and the emotional weight pet parents place on their pets' wellbeing, sometimes ahead of their own, is reshaping what they expect from the brands they buy from.

Health and wellbeing sit right at the centre of that shift. Pet anxiety has become the number one concern for pet parents in the UK, a worry that would have barely registered a decade ago. We're also seeing pet parents apply their own dietary choices to their pets, exploring plant-based and high-protein alternative diets in a way that mirrors the human health food aisle almost exactly.

Top tip. If you want to know where pet marketing is heading, look at where human trends already are. The cat, the dog and the human are all walking the same path, just a few steps apart.

The customer journey is digital first

Pet parents aren't starting their research in a pet shop, or even on Google. Around 40% of consumers now turn to TikTok first when making buying decisions, using it the way search engines used to be used: to discover, compare and validate before they buy.

That has a simple implication for every pet brand, no matter how traditional or B2B your business model looks on paper. If your audience is discovering and shortlisting products on social media before they ever reach your website or visit a store, showing up there isn't optional. Social media is a vitalpart of your marketing plan, whether it is B2C or B2B.

AI is reshaping pet care

AI has moved from novelty to daily habit for many pet parents. 21% are already using AI tools for pet care, whether that's nutrition apps, smart collars, automated litter trays, or simply asking a chatbot for advice, and that number is only heading in one direction.

For brands, the opportunity isn't to replace the relationship pet parents have with their pets, it's to enhance it. The brands getting this right are finding creative ways to use AI to add genuine value, smarter recommendations, better product matching, more useful content, rather than bolting AI onto a product as a marketing gimmick.

It also changes how brands need to think about discovery. SEO strategy can no longer optimise for Google alone, it has to account for how AI tools surface and summarise information too. That means paying close attention to the credibility signals that influence AI search like a genuine expert voice, strong PR coverage and reviews, and well-structured, accurate information on your website. AI tools are only as good as the data they're trained on and pulling from, and brands with clean, credible signals are the ones cutting through.

 

PATS

Misinformation and disinformation

As pet care becomes more human-like in its trends, it's also inheriting some of the industry's less welcome habits.

Social media and community forums have given everyone a platform, which is powerful, but it's also the exact data AI tools are drawing on to form their search results. When misinformation dominates a forum thread or a viral post, that's the version of the truth AI can end up repeating. It's a genuinely risky dynamic for an industry built on trust.

So what can brands do about it? 

  • Authenticity will win. Pet parents, and increasingly AI tools, can tell the difference between a brand that's confident in its product or service, and one that's just confident in its marketing.

  • Clearly explain your ingredients. Don't assume pet parents will take a claim at face value, show your working.

  • Make front-of-pack messaging work hard. M&S's five-ingredients food range is a good example of this: total clarity, at a glance, with nothing to decode.

  • Choose honest, real communication over promotional marketing. It will outperform it, especially with an audience that's actively looking for brands they can trust.

Cost of living crisis

Even with household budgets under pressure, pet wellbeing isn't being cut back, it's being protected. We're consistently seeing pet parents prioritise their pet's health and happiness above their own, choosing to absorb the squeeze themselves rather than compromise on their pet's care.

For brands, that's an important signal that price sensitivity hasn't disappeared, but it isn't the deciding factor it might be in other categories. Pet parents are looking for reassurance that what they're paying for is worth it, not just a lower price point.

What this means for your brand

The shift from pet owners to pet parents changes what brands need to prioritise: 

  • Keep communications honest and open. Pet parents are savvy, and scepticism about the pet food industry is growing. 

  • Adapt your digital approach. If your audience is discovering you on TikTok before Google, your channel mix needs to reflect that.

  • Value third-party endorsement. Credible reviews, PR and expert voices carry weight with pet parents and AI search alike.

  • Communicate why your brand matters. Acknowledge how pet parents' needs are changing, and show them you're keeping pace. 

The brands that treat these trends as a genuine shift in who they're talking to, rather than a passing headline, are the ones that will earn pet parents' trust, and their budget.

Need more information?

Want to talk through what these trends mean for your brand's marketing strategy? Get in touch with our team.