Taking humanisation to the extreme – and in a new direction – the quirky concept of “alcohol” for pets has burst onto the scene in recent years. While pet meals increasingly sound like dishes from restaurant menus and most foods for humans are now available for pets (from popcorn to cupcakes), the drinks for pets segment remains largely untapped.
Snuffle, a zero-alcohol Belgian “beer” for dogs, entered the UK market in 2015. it contains malt barley extracts, mineral oils and vitamin B. Bottom Sniffer followed in 2016, and includes barley malt, Bladderwack seaweed, chicken flavouring, burdock, dandelion, flax and nettle. Next into the fray was Woof & Brew’s Pawsecco in 2017, an infusion of elderflower, nettle, ginseng and lime flower.
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And if you worry that your feline friends might be left out, the US have already seen the launch of Pinot Meow and MosCATo, made with organic catnip and coloured with organic red and golden beet juice.
The concept that owners can now enjoy an alcoholic drink together with their pets has attracted media interest thanks to its eccentricity. However, it has recently been granted mainstream visibility in retail, as Bottom Sniffer and Pawsecco were sold at both Tesco and Aldi in the run up to Christmas 2017.
That these products can also forge associations with emotional benefits, with their herbal ingredients often seen to have a calming, soothing effect, can further boost their appeal. Indeed, 43% of pet owners say they would be interested in pet products with calming ingredients, according to Mintel research on Britain’s pet owners.
