Tinned mouse, anyone? Czechs spending more on their pets
Czechs are spending increasing sums of money on their pets, the Hospodářské noviny daily reported on Tuesday. While pet owners invest mainly in quality food, there is also a growing demand for other products, including pet clothes, fur conditioners, vitamins and paw wipes.
An increasing number of Czech pet owners are willing to spend several thousand crowns a month on their pets, she added, with the highest sum being spent on food. In 201, Czechs spent over CZK 5 billion on dog and cat food, according to the data released by the agency Nielsen.
“The current trend is high-quality food. Customers are more interested in the ingredients, and gluten-free and hypoallergenic food is increasingly popular,” said Patricie Šedivá, spokeswoman for Alza.cz, one of the largest Czech e-shops.
A mouse in a tin
A Czech company producing pet food under the brand Farm Fresh has recently introduced a tinned cat food containing an entire mouse. The 100-gramme tin sells for over CZK 40.
Pet Centre marketing head Lenka Hurdová says shampoos, perfumes, and dental hygiene products have become a daily standard, which has not always been the case. “It is a trend we’ve been observing for about five years,” she said.
Pavla Hobíková of Mall.cz says among the most sought-after products lately have been special moist wipes for pets.
“There is a growing demand from customers for various types of moist wipes that can be used not only for cleaning their pets’ paws but also to wipe their fur.”
Hospodářské noviny writes that most pet wipes available in Czech pet stores are actually more expensive than wipes for human babies.
According to the price comparison website Heureka.cz, Czech pet owners spend the highest sums of money on dogs, about three times as much as on cats. The third highest sum is spent on keeping fish.
