“We are well equipped for the future”

Compared to the previous year, the group’s sales increased by 0.1 per cent to 1.482 bn GBP. The specialist retail chain even saw its pre-tax profit rise by 14.1 per cent to 120.6 mio GBP. Group consumer revenue grew by 2.7 per cent to 1.961 bn GBP. While the strongest business segment, retail, saw a decline in sales of 1.8 per cent to 1.306 bn GBP, sales in the vet group rose by 13 per cent to 655.1 mio GBP. The company attributes the decline in retail sales to “a soft UK consumer backdrop throughout FY25, deflation and normalising levels of new pet ownership.”

Lyssa McGowan, CEO of Pets at Home, expressed her satisfaction with the results for the fiscal year and pointed to the successful transformation of the company from a “business with a strong presence in pet retail and vets to a true pet care platform.” McGowan said: “During this period of transformation, we have completely replatformed our digital infrastructure, built new capabilities around our data, brand & marketing, and simplified our distribution network to a single distribution center fulfilling stores, online and subscriptions, and we have achieved this against the backdrop of a normalizing pet care market and low consumer confidence.” The CEO is optimistic about the future of Pets at Home: “Our recent transformational investments will provide a platform for outperformance through unlocking new areas of growth in existing and adjacent markets, generating long-term sustainable value for all stakeholders.”

McGowan is particularly proud of the company’s new digital platform, which is now live and is seen as an important building block in the future omnichannel strategy. “Through consumer interaction with our platform, we are seeing a higher conversion rate as the customer journey has been simplified, and a higher average basket value as consumers take advantage of new features.” McGowan acknowledges that the 2025 financial year was impacted by the transition to the new platform. However, she expects Pets at Home to return to above-market performance in the 2026 financial year and beyond. In particular, she anticipates further growth in the subscription business, which now accounts for 13 per cent of total sales in the consumer business, and further expansion of the private label range and…