Pet Retail Report: Pet Shops Behind The Times
The Pet Care Trust (PCT) has published the results of its second triennial state of the sector pet retail survey. The survey confirms tough times for the UK's independent pet retailers. Against 2005 results, figures show a reduction in customer numbers and a reduction in the amount they are spending. Increasing costs and the impact of larger chain stores are creating a pessimism about the future, the PCT reports.
The Trust gives the sector a thorough going over in this report, and for many it will make uncomfortable reading. Take for example pet retail's famously hard-bitten technophobia which does the sector no favours. PCT reports optimistically:
"The pet retail sector is joining the online shopping revolution."
Surely it is about time! Is the Trust not aware that this 'revolution' actually took place in the last century? It's no longer a revolution, it is a way of life! Incredibly, in 2008, almost 10% of independent pet retailers report that they have no access to a computer! Less than half of businesses have a website and only just over a third of those offer online shopping. This means that you can buy online at fewer than 17 out of every hundred pet shops in the UK.
Local Council planning, business rates, Local Authority licsensing and problems with high street parking are all cited highly as factors detrimental to pet shop business.
Despite appearances it is not all doom and gloom for pet retailers. The PCT survey underscored the commitment of retailers to their businesses and to pet retailing, with respondents recording an average of over 15 years working in the sector. Staff training and qualifications hold up well too, but with the notable exception of the new AMTRA SQP qualifications which seem thin on the ground.
Animal welfare will be pleased to note a 15% decrease in the number of pet retailers selling livestock (from 74% in 2005 to 63% in 2008). However, where livestock is sold, there is an increase in the sale of reptiles.
This is a detailed report and at £90, (or £30 to PCT members), represents good value to pet retailers. I'd advise you to get a copy. They are available (by snail mail of course), from:
The Pet Care Trust,
Bedford Business Centre,
170 Mile Road,
Bedford
MK42 9TW
The Survey
In May 2008 the Pet Care Trust sent out surveys to independent and chain pet and aquatic stores, and to other outlets all over the UK whether or not they were Trust members .A total of 2820 surveys were sent to pet stores, which generated a response rate of 228, or 8.1%.
This 2008 survey was sequential to a first survey conducted on similar terms by the Pet Care Trust in 2005.
The 2008 survey not only explored some of the themes which had been identified from data collected in 2005, but also expanded research into additional areas of interest to the membership ( e.g. the supply of animal medicines) in order to gain a picture of the current state of the pet retail sector, and to see how, if at all, the sector had changed over the period. The current survey can therefore be read as a stand alone document which gives a current picture of activities and issues, and also in combination with the 2005 results to give a rolling picture of developments over the period. Where appropriate we have described comparative data and drawn conclusions from apparent similarities or differentials.
The survey consisted of questions on a wide range of topics, from the most popular products and livestock sold, to the trade press that retailers read. Combined with the survey conducted three years ago, it provides in-depth analysis into the sector, into what has actually changed, and provides raw data on likely changes which the sector may experience over the next few years. The full results and findings of the survey are listed below. If you require more information about the responses, please contact the Pet Care Trust on 01234 273933. Business details are confidential.
Executive Summary
The number of pet retailers selling animals has declined and the species being sold have changed
In 2008, 63% of pet retailers reported sales of livestock, a reduction of 10.6% over three years ago, and commensurately there has been an apparent switch to retailers selling pet product only. For example 98.7% of pet retailers now sell pet food, an increase of 4.2 % over three years ago, and 98.3% of pet retailers sell pet accessories, an increase from 96.5% in 2005. Livestock, and in particular the small species, still play a key role in the industry with 51.3% of all pet retailers selling rabbits and 55.1% selling one or more species of other small mammals e.g. hamsters, rats etc. At the same time, 47.9% of respondents report selling birds but at 49.1% the numbers selling fish have declined sharply from the 62% recorded in 2005. Reptiles on the other hand have become more popular and 27.4% of retailers now sell these animals which represents an increase of 12.3% from 2005. [Q4, Q5]
Pet retailers have recorded a fall in real terms of purchases from a much smaller customer base
Although values differed considerably, there has been a large decrease in numbers of customers who visit pet retailers at least monthly, from 906 customers three years ago to 490 customers now. Over the period, the average customer spend has increased from £13.89 three years ago to £14.79 now. But if this monetary increase is compared to the rate of inflation for the same time period, we can see how the average spend has declined in real terms. Between August 2005 and May 2008 the retail price index1 went from 192.6 - 215.1, an increase of 11.7%. However the average spend in pet stores increased by only 6.5%, i.e. by just over half the rate of inflation. In real terms the average spend has fallen. [Q14, Q15]
1. Retail price index figures taken from - www.incomesdata.co.uk
Major business issues
51.6% of respondents felt that parking restrictions were affecting their business, endorsing the findings of 2005 when it was again the number one cause of concern among those predicting business would be worse over the coming year. A basket of challenges including rates, rent, employee rights and general red tape were cited by 22% of respondents as being of increasing concern, and, for the first time, crime featured as a business issue with 16.3% of respondents recording the effects of criminal activities as a threat to business activity. [Q18]
Pet retailers are generally less happy with their local authority in 2008 than in 2005
While 34% described their relationship with their local authority as excellent and a further 56% as good, this was deterioration 2005 when the response was 41% and 50% respectively. Many respondents reported a wide variety of approaches to licensing, and a large majority (61.5%) did not know if their licensing authority had adopted the Model Standard Conditions. Of concern is the fact that 58% of respondents said that they never received a copy of their inspection report, a 6.6% increase despite us having flagged this with relevant bodies. [Q30]
Pet retail staff are highly experienced
On average retailers and their staff have worked in the pet retail sector for 15.02 years, with almost 10% of retailers working in the sector for over 30 years. 51.3% of respondents reported that on average staff stayed at a retail store for over five years. These remarkable retention rates support anecdotal evidence of high levels of satisfaction and motivation amongst pet retail staff. The figures are constant with those of three years ago, when the average retailer had been working in the pet retail sector for 14.99 years. [Q3b, Q22]
Pet retailers are educated in, and show a commitment to furthering their knowledge of, the pet specialist sector
Approximately 37% of respondents hold some form of pet retail related qualification and 19.5% of respondents (or their staff) are currently taking training courses related to the industry. [Q9, Q23, Q24]
The pet retail sector is joining the online shopping revolution
In 2005 15% of respondents reported no access to a computer, and 21% had no internet access. In 2008, just 9.8% have no access to a computer, and 11.4% have no access to the internet. There has been a marked increase in the use of broadband, from 50% in 2005 to 82% now. 48.7% of respondents have a business website, with 34.2% of those offering online shopping, an increase from the 10.4% incidence reported in 2005. [Q41, Q43a]
The top two turnover categories for pet retailers are dog food and wild bird products
The top turnover area for respondents was dog food with 30% of respondents reporting this as the top turnover category and a further 8.3% recording it as the second highest turnover area. Wild bird products were cumulatively reported as second up from third place in 2005, with dog accessories third. Of note is the fact that cat food has fallen to overall fifth position in terms of turnover. [Q6]
Other services provided by pet retailers
Overall there has been little change in pet retailers' provision of other services e.g. animal rescue, grooming, micro chipping etc, which is reassuring given the decline in retailers selling animals. 22.6% of retailers offer boarding, slightly up from 21.3% three years ago. There has been a larger increase in retailers offering grooming, to 8.9% from 6.5% (a 37% increase). There have been small decreases in the number of retailers offering veterinary services to 0.9% (from 2.0% in 2005) and also in micro-chipping services, (now 3.4% formerly 5.5%). But in terms of keeping innovative, 83.2% of retailers said that they now offer home delivery. [Q8, Q43a, Q43c]
A significant minority of pet retailers are bullish about the future
48% of respondents expected their business to have improved in one year's time. The main concerns were the current economic climate and increasing costs, including rates and rents. [Q19]
The impact of the larger chain stores and other socio economic factors
33.8% of respondents thought that supermarkets would be the biggest future influence on the pet industry, due to their ability to charge low prices for pet foods and accessories which would lead to a loss of trade for pet specialists. Other issues raised were a decrease in town centre shopping, changes in disposable income levels, and online retailing offering cheaper prices. [Q20]
Care! Since the survey respondents were self-selecting and not necessarily the same people who responded in 2005, readers should interpret the findings with care.
Given the seismic shifts in the economy over the months since the survey was conducted, the Trust will run a short poll of respondents in January 2009 on their current business experience and outlook.
The Trust will publish its own interpretation of the findings once the follow-up survey with respondents is complete, in February.
A) What You Do
Q1) Where is your business located?
235 respondents answered this question
137 stores are located on a High Street (58.3%)
5 stores are located in a retail park (2.1%)
33 stores are in a rural location (14%)
60 stores said they were located in another location (25.5%), the five most common were-
· 15 located on a small parade (6.3%)
· 12 located on a side street (5.1%)
· 6 located in a garden centre (2.5%)
· 6 located in a shopping centre (2.5%)
· 6 located in an industrial estate (2.5%)
Q2) How would you classify your business?
235 respondents answered this question
211 classified their business as a pet shop (89.8%)
7 classified their business as a pet superstore (3%)
7 classified their business as a garden centre (3%)
10 classified their business as 'other' (4.2%)
Of those who classified themselves as other the most common responses were pet and garden suppliers (3), and wholesalers (2)
Q3a) How many years has your business been trading?
233 respondents answered this question
The average response was 19.7 years, with a range from 0.1 years to 178 years.
The following table shows the breakdown:
Years Trading Number of Respondents Percentage
0 - 5 years 66 28.3%
6 - 10 years 27 11.7%
11 - 15 years 32 13.7%
16 - 20 years 29 12.5%
21 - 30 years 38 16.3%
31 - 40 years 18 7.7%
41 - 50 years 8 3.4%
51 - 100 years 14 6%
101+ years 1 0.4%
Q3b) How many years have you been working in the pet retail sector?
231 respondents answered this question
The average response was 15.02 years, with the range from 0.1 years to 58 years.
The following table shows the breakdown:
Years Trading Number of respondents Percentage
0 - 5 years 64 27.7%
6 - 10 years 39 16.9%
11 - 15 years 32 13.9%
16 - 20 years 32 13.9%
21 - 30 years 44 19%
31 - 40 years 15 6.5%
41 - 50 years 4 1.7%
51+ years 1 0.4%
Q4) What do you sell? (please tick all that apply)
Animals
Pet Food
Pet Medicines
Pet Accessories
Pet Luxury and fashion items
Other (please specify)
235 respondents answered this question
232 said they sold pet food (98.7%)
231 said they sold pet accessories (98.3%)
213 said they sold pet medicines (90.6%)
155 said they sold luxury and fashion items (66.9%)
148 said they sold animals (63%)
39 specified other items (16.6%). The four most common were -
· Garden (15)
· Gifts/cards (5)
· Animal feed (5)
· Fishing tackle (3)
The graph below compares the results from the last survey in 2005, with the results from this year's survey.
Note- Since 2005 the number of retailers selling animals fell from 73% to 63%, in all other categories the percentage of respondents selling the items increased over the same period of time.
Q5) What kind of animals do you sell?
234 respondents answered this question
83 said they sold no animals (35.5%)
129 said they sold other small furries (55.1%)
123 said they sold Guinea Pigs (52.6%)
120 said they sold Rabbits (51.3%)
115 said they sold fish (49.1%)
112 said they sold birds (47.9%)
64 said they sold reptiles (27.4%)
28 said they sold kittens (12%)
5 said they sold puppies (2.1%)
5 said they sold farm animals (2.1%)
13 specified other livestock they sold (5.6%). The four most common were:
· Exotic Mammals (2)
· Poultry (2)
· Spiders (2)
· Amphibians (2)
Q6) Which are your top three pet turnover areas?
For this question respondents gave three answers, the first being the highest turnover area. Overall 219 respondents answered this question, but not all parts of the question were answered by all 219 of the respondents
Cumulatively the ten top turnover areas were:
(Out of a total of 640 responses)
1. Dog food - 72 respondents gave this as an answer
2. Wild Bird Products - 70 respondents gave this as an answer
3. Dog accessories - 38 respondents gave this as an answer
4. Fish - 37 respondents gave this as an answer
5. Cat food - 35 respondents gave this as an answer
6. Pet food - 32 respondents gave this as an answer
7. Small Furries - 24 respondents gave this as an answer
8. Specialist Pet Food - 23 respondents gave this as an answer
9. Pet Accessories - 22 respondents gave this as an answer
10. Rabbits - 22 respondents gave this as an answer
The five most common areas for the first response were:
1. Dog Food - 47 respondents said this was their highest turnover area (21.5%)
2. Wild Bird Products - 28 respondents said this was their highest turnover area (12.8%)
3. Dog Accessories - 16 respondents said this was their highest turnover area (7.3%)
4. Pet Food - 15 respondents said this was their highest turnover area (6.8%)
5. Fish - 14 respondents said this was their highest turnover area (6.4%)
The five most common areas for the second response were:
(216 respondents answered this question)
1. Wild Bird Products - 27 respondents said this was their second highest turnover area (12.5%)
2. Cat Food - 18 respondents said this was their second highest turnover area (8.3%)
3. Dog Food - 18 respondents said this was their second highest turnover area (8.3%)
4. Dog accessories - 12 respondents said this was their second highest turnover area (5.6%)
5. Fish - 12 respondents said this was their second highest turnover area (5.6%)
The five most common areas for the third response were:
(196 respondents answered this question)
1. Wild Bird Products - 15 respondents said this was their third highest turnover area (7.7%)
2. Cat Food - 13 respondents said this was their third highest turnover area (6.6%)
3. Fish - 11 respondents said this was their third highest turnover area (5.6%)
4. Small animals - 10 respondents said this was their third highest turnover area (5.1%)
5. Dog accessories - 10 respondents said this was their third highest turnover area (5.1%)
Q7a) Do you buy your animals from:
Commercial suppliers
Local breeders
Hobbyists
Other (please specify)
152 respondents answered this question, with many selecting more than one response.
107 respondents buy their animals from commercial suppliers (70.4%)
111 respondents buy their animals from local breeders (73%)
72 respondents buy their animals from hobbyists (47.4%)
23 respondents marked other (15%), the most common response was that the retailers breed their own (19 respondents - 12.5%)
Q7b) Do you visit your animal suppliers / breeders?
All
Some
None
Depends on
150 respondents answered this question
16 respondents visit all their animal suppliers/breeders (10.7%)
82 respondents visit some of their animal suppliers/breeders (54.7%)
52 respondents visit none of their animal suppliers/breeders (34.7%)
6 respondents also specified what visiting their animal suppliers/breeders depended on - answers included location (3), if they held open days (1) and if they were at trade shows (1)
Q8) What services other than retail does your business currently offer?
111 respondents answered this question, with some respondents choosing more than one response. As there was no 'none' option percentages are taken out of total number of survey respondents, not just those that answered this question.
53 respondents said they offer boarding as a service (22.6%).
Respondents were also asked to specify the species that they allowed to board, with many giving more than one answer, in total 61 different responses were given. The five most common were:
1. Small pets - 22 (36.1%)
2. Bird - 13 (21.3%)
3. Reptiles - 10 (16.4%)
4. Rabbits - 5 (8.2%)
5. Rats - 3 (4.9%)
24 respondents said they offered a loyalty scheme (10.2%)
21 respondents said they offered animal rescue (8.9%)
21 respondents said they had a grooming salon (8.9%)
8 respondents said they offered microchipping (3.4%)
6 respondents said they offered puppy parties (training) (2.6%)
2 respondents said they offered veterinary services (0.9%)
29 respondents selected other as a response (12.3%), with many giving more than one other service that they offered. The five most common responses were:
1. Delivery (8)
2. Nail Cutting (6)
3. Pet Sitting (3)
4. School visits (2)
5. Free Advice (2)
Note- a significant minority of pet retailers offer pet boarding (22.6%) and animal rescue and rehoming (8.9%).
Q9) Do you or your employees hold AMTRA's Suitably Qualified Person (SQP) qualification?
223 respondents answered this question
21 respondents said that they or an employee held AMTRA's SQP qualification (9.4%). The respondents were also asked to specify how many people working in their business had AMTRA's SQP qualification. Out of the stores that answered yes, the mean number of staff with the qualification was 1.24, with one store having 3 employees qualified, three stores having 2 employees qualified and the remaining 17 having one person qualified.
202 respondents answered no (90.6%)
Q10) Do you or your employees intend to train to sell a wider range of medicines under the new Veterinary Medicines Regulations?
220 respondents answered this question
87 respondents said they were intending to train (39.6%)
133 respondents said they were not intending to train (60.4%)
Q11) Do you sell specialist foods?
218 respondents answered this question
78 respondents said they didn't sell specialist foods (35.8%)
140 respondents said they do sell specialist foods (64.2%)
Respondents were also asked to specify what sort of specialist food they sold; overall 76 different responses were given for the type of specialist food sold. The five most common types of specialist food sold are:
1. Burns (19.8% of respondents specified this as a specialist food sold)
2. Live food (14.5% of respondents specified this as a specialist food sold)
3. Hills (9.2% of respondents specified this as a specialist food sold)
4. Frozen Food (9.2% of respondents specified this as a specialist food sold)
5. James Wellbeloved (7.9% of respondents specified this as a specialist food sold)
Other types of food specified included holistic, hypo allergic, oral care and gluten free pet food.
Q12) What trade press do you read?
218 respondents answered this question, with many selecting more than one option.
148 respondents said they read Pet Product Marketing (67.9%)
131 respondents said they read Pet Business World (PBW) news (60.1%)
90 respondents said they read Pet Gazette (41.3%)
36 respondents said they read Cage and Aviary (16.5%)
20 respondents said they read Pet Trade World (9.2%)
17 respondents said they read Pets International (7.8%)
13 respondents said they read Ideas 4 Pet Retail (5.9%)
10 respondents said they read UK Pets (4.6%)
9 respondents said they read The Grocer (4%)
5 respondents said they read Retail Week (2.3%)
7 respondents said they read other trade publications (3.2%). This included Dog Tails (2), Practical Fish Keeping (1), Reptile Care (1) and Your Dog Mag (1)
B) The Business
Q14) On a scale of 1-5, are you (1) struggling or (5) thriving?
227 respondents answered this question, each selecting a value between 1 and 5. The mean value was 3.13.
Q15) How many regular customers do you have, who visit at least monthly?
146 respondents answered this question.
The mean number of regular customers was 490.39, with answers ranging from 6 - 6000.
The following table shows the breakdown of responses:
Number of regular customers Number of Respondents Percentage
0-100 66 45%
101-250 30 20.5%
251-500 19 13%
501-1000 13 8.9%
1001-2000 10 6.8%
2001-5000 7 4.9%
5001+ 1 0.7%
Q16) What is their average spend per visit?
188 respondents answered this question.
Answers ranged from £1.50 to £200; with a mean spend of £14.79 (up from £13.89 in 2005)
Discounting the surprisingly high figure of £200 stated by one respondent (the next highest figure was £55) the mean spend is £13.79.
The following table shows the breakdown of responses:
Average Spend Frequency Percentage
£0 - £5.00 40 21.3%
£5.01 - £10.00 64 34%
£10.01 - £20.00 48 25.5%
£20.01 - £30.00 22 11.7%
£30.01 - £40.00 9 4.8%
£40.01 - £50.00 3 1.6%
£50.01 - £100.00 1 0.5%
£100.01+ 1 0.5%
Q17) How do customers settle payment?
222 respondents answered this question.
Respondents were asked to estimate percentages for how many customers use which form of payment.
Overall the average percentages were:
62.86% of customers settle payment with cash
32.84% of customers settle payment with a credit or debit card
3.07% of customers settle payment with a cheque
0.98% of customers use other methods to settle payment.
Some respondents specified these other methods of payment. These include accounts (3), BACS (2), Paypal (2) and vouchers (1).
Q18) What are the top three issues affecting your business?
215 respondents answered this question, with some choosing to give only one issue, and others giving two or three.
53 respondents said there were no issues affecting their business (24.7%)
111 respondents said the parking was affecting their business (51.6%)
35 respondents said that crime was affecting their business (16.3%)
27 respondents said that planning was affecting their business (12.6%)
26 respondents said that staff recruitment was affecting their business (12.1%)
20 respondents said that access to training was affecting their business (9.3%)
7 respondents said that staff retention was affecting their business (3.6%)
48 respondents said that other issues were affecting their business, these include:
· 11 respondents said that rates, costs and rents were affecting their business (5.1%)
· 8 respondents said that regulations were affecting their business (3.7%)
· 6 respondents said that supermarkets and superstores were affecting their business (2.8%)
· 3 respondents said that employee rights (e.g. holiday pay, maternity leave) were affecting their business (1.4%)
· 3 respondents said that price increases were affecting their business (1.4%)
Overall the top three issues that respondents felt were affecting their business are:
1. Parking, 51.6% of respondents said this was affecting their business
2. Crime, 16.3% of respondents said this was affecting their business
3. Planning, 12.6% of respondents said this was affecting their business
Q19) In one year's time do you expect business to be:
a) Better
b) Worse
c) About the same
228 respondents answered this question
110 respondents said they expected their business to be better in one year's time (48.2%).
29 respondents said they expected their business to be worse in one year's time (12.7%).
89 respondents said they expected their business to be about the same in one year's time (39%).
The charts below compare this year's data with the data from the 2005 survey, showing the slight changes that have occurred in retailers' expectations.
Respondents were also asked to give a reason for their answers. The most common reasons are shown below:
Better
35 respondents gave a reason why
· 25.7% said that it was a new business, so expected to grow
· 17.1% said that they had recently expanded their retail lines or offered new services
· 14.3% said that it would be due to advertising
· 11.4% said that it was due to moving to a new larger premises
· 5.7% said that it was due to their reputation
Same
43 respondents gave a reason why
· 25.6% said that it was due to the current economic climate, with the possibility of a recession
· 16.3% said that it is always the same, so will be in one years time
· 9.3% said that it was due to increased costs
· 7% said that it was due to people spending less
· 7% said that it was due to their location
· 7% said that it was due to a decline in high street shopping
Worse
12 respondents gave a reason why
· 42% said that it was due to the current economic climate, with the possibility of a recession
· 25% said that it was due to increased costs
· 17% said that it was due to increased rent
· 8% said that it was due to legislation
· 8% said that it was due to a decline in high street shopping
Q20) What will be the biggest influencers on the pet industry over the next few years?
157 respondents answered this question, with many giving more than one answer
The top ten influencers are shown below:
1. Supermarkets - 53 respondents (33.8%)
2. Inflation/increased prices - 32 respondents (20.4%)
3. Regulation - 16 respondents (10.2%)
4. Costs - 15 respondents (9.6%)
5. Online shopping - 14 (8.9%)
6. Economy/possible recession - 14 (8.9%)
7. Law & Legislation - 12 (7.6%)
8. Disposable income -10 (6.4%)
9. Chain pet stores - 5 (3.2%)
10. Government - 5 (3.2%)
C) Staff
Q21) How many staff do you employ?
224 respondents answered this question. There was no 'none' option, however 23 respondents specified that they employed no staff. As it cannot be clear if all the respondents who did not answer do not employ staff, we cannot include those respondents who stated that they employed no staff. Therefore the averages will be calculated from the 201 responses that specified how many staff they employ. It can be assumed however, that the 34 respondents who did not answer/specified none do not employ staff (14.5%).
One store gave staff numbers for the whole chain, not an individual store, so that will not be included in the following analysis.
The number of full time employees ranged from 0 - 40. The mean number of full time employees was 1.81.
The number of part-time employees ranged from 0 - 35. The mean number of part-time employees was 2.09
The number of seasonal employees ranged from 0 - 3. The mean number of seasonal employees was 0.07.
The number of under 16s (minors) ranged from 0 - 6. The mean number of seasonal employees was 0.28.
The number of full-time equivalent employed ranged from 0 - 2. The mean number of full-time equivalent employees was 0.02.
Q22) On average, how long do your staff stay with you?
191 respondents answered this question.
0 respondents said on average their staff stay with them for less than 3 months.
10 respondents said on average their staff stay with them from 3 to 12 months (5.2%).
37 respondents said on average their staff stay with them from 1 to 3 years (19.4%).
43 respondents said on average their staff stay with them from 3 to 5 years (22.5%).
98 respondents said on average their staff stay with them for over five years (51.3%).
3 respondents said on average their staff work seasonally only (1.6%).
Q23) Do you or any of your staff hold any of the following qualifications?
Pet Care Trust Foundation Course in Animal Husbandry
City and Guilds 7760 Pet Store Management
LCGI in Pet Store Management
Other (please specify)
88 respondents answered this question, with some selecting more than one answer. It can be assumed that the 147 respondents who answered this question do not hold any qualifications, or at least the specified ones above, therefore 37.4% of respondents hold a qualification related to the industry.
9 said they or a member of staff held the Pet Care Trust foundation course (10.2%)
58 said they or a member of staff held the City and Guilds 7760 (65.9%)
5 said they or a member of staff held the LCGI (5.6%)
32 said they or a member of staff held another qualification (36.4%)
Of the other qualifications, the most popular were - NVQs and BTECs in Animal Care (11), City and Guilds Dog Grooming (2), and various other customer care and management courses.
Q24) Are you or any of your staff currently taking training courses relevant to the industry?
210 respondents answered this question.
41 respondents said that they or their staff were taking training courses (19.5%).
169 respondents said that they or their staff were not taking training courses (80.5%).
Of those that said they were taking training courses, the five most popular were:
1. City & Guilds pet store management 7760 - 8 respondents (3.8%)
2. NVQ Animal Care - 3 respondents (1.4%)
3. Grooming qualifications - 3 respondents (1.4%)
4. AMTRA - 2 respondents (0.9%)
5. NVQ in retail - 2 respondents (0.9%)
Q25a) Would you be interested in a small bite sized training course run by the Trust?
203 respondents answered this question
105 said they would be interested (51.7%)
98 said they would not be interested (48.3%)
Respondents were asked to specify which area they would be interested in, the five most common answers were:
1. Nutrition - 9 respondents
2. Reptiles - 8 respondents
3. Management - 6 respondents
4. Husbandry - 6 respondents
5. Business development - 6 respondents
Q25b) Would you be interested in a foundation degree for pet retail?
171 respondents answered this question
62 said they would be interested (36.3%)
109 said they would not be interested (63.7%)
D) Licensing
Q27) Who inspects your premises?
174 respondents answered this question, with many selected more than one response.
112 respondents said that an Environmental Health Officer their premises (64.4%)
45 respondents said that a Trading Standards Officer their premises (25.9%)
44 respondents said that an Animal Welfare Officer inspects their premises (25.3%)
37 respondents said that a Vet inspects their premises (21.3%)
20 respondents said that a Dog Warden inspects their premises (11.5%)
7 respondents said someone else inspects their premises (4%)
Common answers for those who said someone else inspects their premises included the council (2), the pet inspector (1) and the RSPCA (1).
Q28) How much does your licence cost?
143 respondents answered this question. Respondents were asked about a number of licences.
140 respondents gave a value for the cost of their pet shop licence. Answers ranged from £20 to £380, with a mean value of £104.01 (£97.62 in 2005).
The following table shows a breakdown of the results:
Cost of Licence Number of Respondents Percentage
£0 - £50.00 19 13.6%
£50.01 - £100.00 67 47.9%
£100.01 - £150.00 32 22.9%
£150.01 - £200.00 11 7.9%
£200.01 - £250.00 3 2.1%
£250.01 + 8 5.7%
11 respondents gave a value for the cost of any other licence that they require. Answers ranged from £73 - £300, with a mean value of £159.81. These licences include -
· AMTRA (4)
· Street/forecourt trading licence (3)
· Zoo licence (1)
· Kennels licence (1)
8 respondents gave a value for the cost of the vet that accompanies an inspector on a licensing visit. Answers ranged from £45 - £300, with a mean value of £134.37
Q29) Do you see a written copy of the inspection report?
143 respondents answered this question.
83 respondents said they never see a copy of the inspection report (58%, up from 54.4% in 2005)
44 respondents said they do see a copy of the inspection report (30.8%)
16 respondents said they only sometimes see a copy of the inspection report (11.2%)
Respondents were asked to specify if they answered sometimes. The most common responses were, they saw the surveys if:
· There was something wrong (2)
· Improved since last time (1)
· Inspector went through it whilst writing it (1)
Q30) What kind of relationship do you have with your local authority?
177 respondents answered this question.
99 respondents said they had a good relationship with their local authority (55.9%)
61 respondents said they had an excellent relationship with their local authority (34.5%)
9 respondents said they had an unsatisfactory relationship with their local authority (5.1%)
8 respondents said they had a poor relationship with their local authority (4.5%)
Q31) Are you aware of what the Model Standard Conditions for pet shop licensing are?
186 respondents answered this question
103 respondents said they were aware of the Model Standard Conditions (55.4%)
83 respondents said they were not aware of the Model Standard Conditions (44.6%)
Q32) Has your local authority adopted the Model Standard Conditions for pet shop licensing?
187 respondents answered this question
115 respondents said they didn't know whether their local authority had adopted the Model Standard Conditions (61.5%)
52 respondents said their local authority had adopted the Model Standard Conditions (27.8%)
20 respondents said their local authority had not adopted the Model Standard Conditions (10.7%)
Q33a) Are you aware of the Pet Care Trust preparations to launch an accredited pet retail standard that will be independently inspected?
189 respondents answered this question
141 respondents said they were unaware of the preparations to launch the pet retail standard (74.6%)
48 respondents said that they were aware of the preparations to launch the pet retail standard (25.4%)
Q33b) If yes, would you be interested in taking part in this scheme?
116 respondents answered this question
86 respondents said that they would be interested in taking part (74.1%)
30 respondents said that they wouldn't be interested in taking part (25.9%)
Q34) Do you ask for proof of age?
154 respondents answered this question.
112 respondents said they do ask for proof of age (72.7%) down from 82.3% in 2005.
22 respondents said they sometimes ask for proof of age (14.3%)
20 respondents said they do not ask for proof of age (13%)
Q35) Do you provide pet care leaflets when selling livestock?
154 respondents answered this question.
141 respondents said that they did provide pet care leaflets when selling livestock (91.6%)
13 respondents said that they do not provide pet care leaflets when selling livestock (8.4%)
Respondents were also asked to specify the source of the leaflets, 118 respondents did so. Below are the five most common sources:
1. 61 respondents said they provided their own leaflets (51.7%)
2. 33 respondents said they provided Pet Care Trust leaflets (28%)
3. 10 respondents said they provided Supreme leaflets (8.5%)
4. 3 respondents said they provided Eurorep leaflets (2.5%)
5. 3 respondents said they provided books (2.5%)
Q36) Which animal species do you keep a sales register for?
145 respondents answered this question, with most selecting more than one option.
104 respondents said they keep a sales register for rabbits and rodents (71.7%)
87 respondents said they keep a sales register for birds other than psittacines (60%)
51 respondents said they keep a sales register for reptiles (35.2%)
50 respondents said they keep a sales register for psittacines (34.5%)
27 respondents said they keep a sales register for kittens (18.6%)
22 respondents said they keep a sales register for fish (15.2%)
16 respondents said they do not keep a sales register (11%)
9 respondents said they keep a sales register for 'other' animals (6.2%)
6 respondents said they keep a sales register for farm animals sold as pets (4.1%)
5 respondents said they keep a sales register for puppies (3.4%)
Q37) What sort of relationship do you have with your local vet?
160 respondents answered this question, with many selecting more than one option.
80 respondents said that their vet consults sick animals (50%)
59 respondents said that they have a mutual referral arrangement with their vet (36.9%)
49 respondents said that they had no business arrangement (30.6%) down from 48.9% in 2005
13 respondents said that their vet makes regular checks on husbandry and premises (8.1%) up from 6.1% in 2005
7 respondents said that they had another arrangement with their vet (4.4%)
Q38) Do you use a specialist vet?
153 respondents answered this question.
84 respondents said that they don't use a specialist vet (54.9%)
59 respondents said that they do use a specialist vet (38.6%)
10 respondents said that they sometimes use a specialist vet (6.5%)
36 respondents specified what animals they used a specialist vet for, the responses were:
1. Birds - 17 respondents (47.2%)
2. Reptiles - 13 respondents (36.1%)
3. Parrots - 3 respondents (8.3%)
4. Psittacines - 1 respondent (2.7%)
5. Exotics - 1 respondent (2.7%)
6. Small rodents - 1 respondent (2.7%)
E) IT
Q39) Does your business use:
EPOS
Conventional cash register
Specialist pet retail software programmes
215 respondents answered this question, with some choosing more than one option.
177 respondents said that they use a conventional cash register (82.3%)
43 respondents said that they use an EPOS system (20%)
6 respondents said that they use a specialist software programme (2.8%)
Q40) Do you have a computer?
235 respondents answered this question.
109 respondents said they have a computer at both the business and at home (46.4%)
75 respondents said that they only have a computer at home (31.9%)
28 respondents said that they only have a computer at the business (11.9%)
23 respondents said that they do not have access to a computer (9.8%)
Q41) What internet access do you have?
228 respondents answered this question, with some choosing more than one option.
187 respondents said they had Broadband (82%)
26 respondents said they had no internet access (11.4%)
19 respondents said they had dial-up (8.3%)
6 respondents said they had ISDN (2.6%)
Q42) Do you have a business website?
230 respondents answered this question
118 respondents said that they do not have a business website (51.3%)
112 respondents said that they do have a business website (48.7%)
Q43a) Does your website offer on-line shopping facilities?
111 respondents answered this question
73 respondents said no (65.8%)
38 respondents said yes (34.2%)
Q43b) If yes, what do you sell?
42 respondents answered this question, with many selecting more than one option.
40 respondents said that they sold food and accessories on-line (95.2%)
6 respondents said that they sold animals on-line (14.3%)
1 respondent said that they sold other items on-line (aviary) (2.4%)
Q43c) Do you offer home delivery?
226 respondents answered this question.
188 respondents said that they do offer home delivery (83.2%)
38 respondents said that they don't offer home delivery (16.8%)
Q43d) Do you offer on-line order and collect?
200 respondents answered this question.
176 respondents said that they don't offer on-line order and collect (88%)
24 respondents said that they do offer on-line order and collect (12%)