Thanks to K9 Magazine for this inside look at the pet food world in the UK.
Tesco and Procter & Gamble in Dispute about Eukanuba Dog Food
Two giants of the retail world are heading for collission course over an argument about dog food.
Supermarket king Tesco are reported to be stocking batches of ‘unoffically supplied’ Eukanuba pet food in some of its stores, a move which is said to have angered P&G, the makers of Eukanuba and Iams.
Procter and Gamble currently supply the Iams brand to the large national supermarkets but Eukanuba is stocked exclusively in pet shops and vets’ surgeries.
Tesco is believed to have put the brand on shelf as it attempts to position itself as a specialist pet-food supplier.
The move has attracted crticism from some within the pet sector:
Rob McIntyre, a director of Jollyes Petfood Superstore stated:
Jollyes Petfood Superstores fully endorses Proctor & Gambles decision to fight to stop Tesco supplying Eukanuba. This is a premium product which is designed to provide the exact nutritional requirements for different sizes, ages and breeds of dog.
An incorrect selection of any dog food will fail to provide the optimal nutrition for the dog and, in particular, developing puppies and large breeds of dog have very specific nutritional requirements.
Jollyes works hard to ensure we have in-store staff with the experience and knowledge to offer our customers specific advice on their pets nutritional needs as selecting the correct food can be confusing for the inexperienced owner.
To assist our customers with their pets nutrition we are planning a series of pet health days in our stores across the country at which owners can have access to specific health advice on the best types of diet and lifestyle for their animals.
A spokesperson for Procter & Gamble said:
“Procter & Gamble remains firmly committed to exclusively supporting Eukanuba in the pet speciality channel, where owners can receive information about the nutrition and health benefits of these premium products to guide their choice.”
