IGA has launched a special pet program to help shoppers celebrate their four-legged companions.
The IGA Pet Corner offers free birthday gifts for pets, exclusive promotions, and pet health tips for members. In addition, the participating IGA stores now have designated “doggy parking” areas where dogs can wait for their owners to do quick deals.
"As part of the IGA Locals Matter Community Program, we created the Locals Matter Pet Corner because pets are an important part of the community," said an IGA spokesman.
"It will be the destination for amazing content and promotions for pet owners, and members will receive exclusive goodies, contests / giveaways and great content thanks to our partner Purina."
Anyone can visit the IGA Locals Matter website and become a member: www.iga.com.au/community/pet-corner/join.
In the month of your pet's birthday, your four-legged friend will receive a free cat or dog Purina treat voucher by email, which can be redeemed in a participating IGA store.
The majority of IGA's 1,300 independent stores across the country will participate in the program.
Man's best friend
Research shows that pet ownership increased sharply worldwide during the pandemic, with nearly 90% of pet owners saying that their pets have had a very positive impact on their lives. Statistics also show that there are now more households with a pet (61%) than with children (35%).
In the run-up to International Dog Day (August 26th), the IGA commissioned its own research. It found:
- One in four Australians buys their furry friend a birthday present
- More than 1 in 3 of them spend up to $ 5,000 on their pets each year
The study also found that Gen Z (18%) and baby boomers (21%) are the generations most likely to buy their pets a birthday present. Women (53%) buy a gift for their pets only slightly more often than men (47%).
When it comes to pet spending, more than 1 in 2 men (54%) spend over $ 5,000 on their pet (s) each year, with Generation X (35-44) most likely to do so . However, one in five millennials (20%) spends less than $ 500 on their pet each year.
