Barking Heads, leading fun and wellness premium dog food brand, has thrilled customers by making the bold choice to lower its recommended retail price on all complete dry food. What a paw-some decision!
Launched in 2008 as a fun-but-functional, pet specialist brand, it quickly gained popularity amongst young pet owners and experienced rapid growth.
Recognising the brands appeal to the sustainably conscious Millennial and Gen Z generation of pet owners, Barking Heads dry food was relaunched in October 2023, with improved, reformulated recipes and an exciting packaging redesign, including fully recyclable packaging materials. Production was also moved to the UK, to its carbon-negative factory in North Yorkshire.
The recommended retail price of each bag size has been rationalised, with the RRP reduced by an average of around 22% across the range. For example, the RRP on a 12kg bag was £95 on some recipes and will now be reduced to £65. A drop of nearly 32%. *
Sascha Macchi, Head of Marketing for IPN explains ‘reformulating recipes and bringing production back to the UK was not only right for the values and ethics of the Barking Heads brand, but also presented a cost saving, which strategically we decided to pass onto consumers by lowering the RRP. Whilst retail price is at the sole discretion of the retailer, we are keen to see it passed on, to support our pet paw-rents, their pups, and customers of the future.’
Today’s young pet food shoppers are pet centric, considering their pet to be ‘the most important thing in their life’. They are interested in healthy products for both themselves, and their pets, with spending on health and wellness ranked as highly important in this consumer group. They are often knowledgeable in advanced pet nutrition and keen for pet food to be specifically formulated for their pets, with vitality and digestive health being perceived as the most important benefits. Research suggests that 96% of Gen Z shoppers will pay a premium for brands they judge as ‘transparent’. ¹
Barking Heads Proposition
With these findings in mind, Barking Heads wet, and dry food recipes offer premium, health and wellness driven, fresh recipes with scientific benefits, designed by nutritionists for dogs of all breeds and life stages. In contrast to its serious nutritional proposition, the brand uses a fun and friendly approach to speak to its audience, such as product names including ‘fat dog slim’ and ‘fuss pot’, coupled with funky imagery and vibrant colours.
Recipes have a higher-than-average meat content when compared to competitors, containing freshly prepared, human-grade ingredients from UK and Irish farms, up to six fruits and vegetables, and are all made in the UK in its carbon kitchens, and packaged in eco-friendly, recyclable packaging.
Growing Customer Group
Representing the next generation of advanced pet nutrition shoppers, research shows a notable generation shift in pet ownership, with Millennials and Gen Z’s now making up 58% of current pet owners. Market data also shows that Gen Z spend per trip is +15% than the overall average pet shopper. ¹ Furthermore, Shoppers who buy Barking Heads spend 19% more per basket than other consumers².
To become a stockist of Barking Heads, contact your preferred Pet Specialist Wholesaler.
* Retail price is at the sole discretion of the retailer.
1.Data Source: UK Pet Food Data Report 2024 / Morgan Stanley Jun24 / Mintel Pet Food Report 2024.
2.Date Source: NielsenIQ, 52 w/e 25th January 2025.
