Recognising the huge growth of pet ownership in Australia, IGA has launched the Locals Matter Pet Corner as part of its IGA Locals Matter Community Program.
Locals Matter Pet Corner has launched in partnership with Nestlé Purina, and will be a destination for promotions, giveaways, and content for pet owners.
Pet owners are spending more on their furry friends, and in fact, research commissioned by IGA revealed that more than one third of Australians spend up to $5,000 on their pets each year.
A spokesperson for IGA told C&I that both IGA and Purina recognised the impact pets had on shoppers and wanted to provide a dedicated place for information and activations.
“The program was launched in August, as part of the IGA Locals Matter Community Program, and we launched the Locals Matter Pet Corner as pets are an important part of the community,” they said.
“Purina and IGA both realised the importance and impact pets have on our shoppers. We worked together wanting to help bring the pet community together, providing great inspiration and tips on keeping pets happy and healthy, along with promotions and activations throughout the year for our members.”
The IGA spokesperson said that in light of the increase in pet ownership in Australia, IGA has increased its focus on ranging products that align to the natural and proactive health pet trends.
“These trends have been translating into new line launches over the last 12 months across many national brands,” they said.
“We aim to provide even more education and inspiration for shoppers on keeping pets happy and healthy, provide goodies on your cat or dog’s birthday, giving our shoppers a chance to experience or trial Purina products (and also giving a nice surprise and delight for their furry friend), and promotions online or in-store during key events throughout the year.
“No major supermarket has a dedicated pet program, and no community is complete without pets!”