This year’s Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW), which starts on Monday June 22, is focusing nutrition as a key driver of both rabbit health and enhanced customer relationships and retailers are being encouraged to help promote better rabbit nutrition and position themselves as trusted experts in the category.
This year’s theme of ‘Feeding Bunnies Better’ is focusing on the link between better feeding standards for rabbits and better commercial outcomes for retailers. Store owners are being encouraged to provide clear educational materials in-store, such as feeding guides and information leaflets explaining the risks associated with muesli-based diets and the benefits of fibre-rich alternatives.
Supplier Burgess Pet Care is encouraging small animal retailers to sign up to the ‘Feeding Bunnies Better’ pledge and to make use of campaign resources, in-store support materials and guidance designed to help drive customer engagement and improve feeding awareness. Businesses can download a pack of material from the RAW website.
Suzanne Moyes, deputy managing director at Burgess said: “The key step that retailers should take is to encourage rabbit owners in moving towards hay-first diets supported by nutritious single component nuggets, helping to move away from outdated muesli-based feeding and towards a healthier, fibre-first approach centred on quality hay.
“Hay needs to be a daily essential for rabbit owners, it should always be freely available to rabbits and replenished daily, to ensure it forms the majority of their diet. Retailers should encourage customers to purchase hay that is made from 100% natural ingredients, is high in fibre and supports rabbits’ dental and respiratory health.”
She added: “Educating customers on this narrative promotes better rabbit nutrition and also creates the need for consistent, repeat purchasing behaviour that retailers can benefit from. In contrast to more occasional purchases, increasing hay consumption drives regular footfall and basket spend, positioning it as a core category for sustained revenue.”
