UK retailer Tesco is introducing Christmas-themed drinks and treats for pets, so customers will be able to enjoy the holidays with their four-legged friends.
With help from veterinarians, the retailer is bringing pet lovers tail-wagging innovations such as Pawsecco and Bottom Sniffer beer, as well as Christmas-themed pet food.
Pawsecco is a non-alcoholic, non-carbonated grape-free ‘wine’ drink, containing a blend of elderflower, nettle, ginseng and limeflower, according to Tesco. Meanwhile, Bottom Sniffer beer is made from flax, dandelion, burdock and nettle, and designed to create a feeling of well-being.
Both drinks are canine and feline friendly and will go on sale at Tesco stores across the UK at a cost of £3 per bottle.
Rising Demand
The retailer has decided to increase its range of Christmas gifts for pets from 12 last year to over 50 this year. Other pet gifts that animal lovers can purchase include a panettone-style treat for cats, an advent calendar for dogs, and Christmas crackers and treat-filled stockings for both.
Christmas-themed pet food will include Christmas-dinner turkey pâté with sage and carrots, as well as Christmas-pudding biscuits for dogs.
These new offerings are aimed at the rising number of Brits who include their pets on their gift lists. Over the last two Christmases, Tesco says that it has seen demand for dedicated festive pet gifts soar by 300%.
Far From Leftovers
“Britain has always been famous as a nation of animal lovers, but now more and more cats and dogs are joining the festive feast with their owners,” said Fiona Moss, Tesco pet-food and accessories manager.
“In the past, lucky pets could look forward to leftovers from the Christmas dinner table, but now many people give their cat or dog a special festive meal in their own right.”
“Last year, our posh Christmas dinner for cats – a special turkey and sage meal – became our most popular festive item for pets," Moss added.
“This year, pet owners can even go one better, as our Christmas campaign celebrates the many ways we come together at Christmas, for while we’re all enjoying a glass of fizz or a beer at the festive dinner table, cats and dogs will, for the first time, be able to join in the toasting, too.”
© 2017 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Kevin Duggan. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
