Pet owners face “subscription creep” too as repeat pet costs keep rising (aff)
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Food deliveries, flea treatments and repeat pet essentials are becoming another major monthly expense for many UK households.
Pet owners are getting hit by “subscription creep” too - and it’s not just Netflix and Spotify draining people’s bank accounts every month.
One minute you’re buying the odd bag of kibble and a toy for Mr Tiddles. The next you’re paying for repeat food deliveries, flea treatments, supplements and pet essentials that keep reappearing on the monthly budget.
That’s the audience Pet Drugs Online appears to be targeting with its new PetSaver memberships, designed to reward owners who regularly buy pet essentials online.
The retailer has launched three tiers. Bronze is free and includes a 10% welcome offer. Silver costs £25 a year and adds 2% off every order, free delivery, monthly offers and 24/7 online vet consultations. Gold costs £45 annually and increases the discount to 4% while adding free priority next-day delivery.
At first glance, 2% or 4% off does not sound especially dramatic. But the figures start looking more interesting once you add up what many owners spend over a year.
Someone spending £80 a month on repeat pet essentials would spend close to £1,000 annually. Under the PetSaver Silver plan, the ongoing discount alone would claw back almost £20 before delivery savings and offers are even included.
For households with multiple pets, the maths changes more noticeably. Spending £150 a month across food, grooming products and repeat pet care essentials adds up to more than £1,800 a year. Under PetSaver Gold, the 4% discount would cut roughly £72 from that bill before factoring in priority delivery and subscription savings.
The convenience factor is also part of the pitch. Gold members get free priority next-day delivery, while both paid PetSaver memberships include 24/7 online vet consultations through PawSquad for non-urgent advice.
Pet Drugs Online has operated for more than 20 years and currently holds an “Exceptional” Feefo rating, with more than 209,000 reviews and an average score of 4.8 stars.
And while not every household will save enough to justify a paid membership, the rise of repeat pet subscriptions means more owners are now treating pet essentials like any other recurring monthly bill.
Pet owners can compare the full PetSaver membership options here.
Plant-based ready meals have come a long way from the bland reputation they once had, and services such as Grubby are leaning into meals that look more like comforting weeknight dinners than traditional ‘healthy eating’ options.
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