Covid has affected most businesses in Bengaluru, but pet stores are not so badly off. Metrolife visited some stores to understand what pet parents are buying since the pandemic broke out.
Glenands Pet Store, Church Street
Prithvi Jayakaran, proprietor, has seen a surge in new pet parents since the pandemic broke out. They are trying new foods and toys, and chewables are a hit among those who have young puppies.
“During the lockdowns, many people bought or adopted animals for companionship. I see them addressing their pets as their children and so they want the best for their little ones,” he says.
Pet sanitisers and hygiene products like paw cleaners are in demand. “Pet owners want their pet to be germ-free so that neither falls sick,” he says. There has been a massive dip in the sales of pet accessories though.
“Half of our customers are price-conscious now. Because of a financial crunch, they are only buying basic things like food and are not splurging on collars, bandanas, clothes and harnesses,” he says.
Cat parents, more than dog parents, are shopping at this pet store chain. “They come looking for beds, balls, rope toys and chewables,” says Joseph Mark, store manager of the Church Street outlet.
New pet parents are inclined towards branded and luxury products, Pradeep Kumar, the owner of Pet Needs, has observed. Plus, they are open to online shopping. “Home deliveries and online sales have gone up by four or five times,” he says.
‘Office-goers are giving up pets’
Pradeep Kumar of Pet Needs says, “Now that people are going back to work, most have given up their pets to adoption centres and NGOs. They don’t have time to look after them.”
Published 25 November 2021, 16:21 IST