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The litter tray

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Original poster

Sainsbury's says national shortage of cat and dog food?

103 replies

wonderstuff · 08/03/2021 21:57

Sent an email out saying there was a national shortage, didn't say why. Expected to be a problem for the rest of the year. Is this a Brexit thing? Covid? Anyone know any more?

OP posts:

starfish4 · 09/03/2021 07:44

Sainsburys have said it's due to an increased number of people buying pets!

During the first lockdown, I couldn't get the two types of Felix cat food my boys like. Contacted manufacturers, and as said before it was down to Covid.

Think is pet owners had better get ourselves prepared for some hungry cats!

minniemoocher · 09/03/2021 07:55

Thankfully dogs don't tend to be fussy and would willingly live on human leftovers anyway. Asda had plenty yesterday anyway. Many people mail order food

PintPot · 09/03/2021 08:02

Poo bags have been out of stock in Sainsbury's for months now - so maybe it is a sudden new demand problem?

pinkearedcow · 09/03/2021 08:08

I haven't had that email, I buy all petfood from Sainsbury's. could you possibly share the text of it @wonderstuff?

BIWI · 09/03/2021 11:10

I actually emailed Mars (Pedigree Petfoods owner) about this some weeks ago, and got a very bland reply, with a link to places I could buy online - when I'd been pointing out that I couldn't buy online at Sainsbury's or Asda!

Then they sent me a follow-up questionnaire, asking about my satisfaction with their customer careline, so I gave them a pretty scathing response about their lack of customer care.

As an ex-marketing person I'm aware that certain brands get delisted by supermarkets, and I was trying to find out what was really going on in Sainsbury's, as the issue seems to be more acute there. I complained about being fobbed off by their lack of answer to my questions and comments.

Strangely enough, they haven't replied to me

ExponentiallyDepleted · 09/03/2021 11:14

I buy Felix pouches in my online Sainsburys order regularly and yet haven't had that email. They have been in short supply for months now.

uggmum · 09/03/2021 11:16

It's not just Sainsbury's that are struggling with stock.

My cat loves a particular range from wilkos. It has been out of stock in my local area for months. I tried 3 separate stores and they have advised of a national shortage.

My cat is so awkward and fussy. She literally goes on hunger strike when she can't get what she wants.

WarfieldWolf · 09/03/2021 11:17

Absolutely shocked to see the type of foods bought for these pets!
Whiskas/Pedigree/Purina and most supermarket own brands are high in cereals and sugars and low in meat ( your cat is a carnivore !!)
Similarly priced products are available in your independent pet supplies, and most deliver (especially since covid started)
The shortage is possibly due to the huge increase in cats and dogs during covid but disappointing to see so many pets fed from the supermarket meaning the big corporations (Pedigree Mars, Nestle Purina, Tesco, Sainsbury etc) are rubbing their hands together for the windfall but your local independent petshop sees little increase!! And BTW i do own a pet supplies, we do have a website, we deliver nationally and we deliver free in the evenings in a 20km radius - and i guess after all these years most people in our town dont even know we exist or THINK we are probably too expensive - - time to wake up and feed your pet properly and shop locally.

MintyCedric · 09/03/2021 11:19

I've had trouble getting my cats preferred food for a couple of weeks now (Tesco delivery). They like Whiskas or Felix Tasty Shreds (when it's on offer).

I've not been completely stuck and have a couple of boxes of bog standard Felix in the garage and a recently opened large bag of dry food but they're not keen on the former.

Might have to buy some mince and tinned tuna just in case.

lljkk · 09/03/2021 11:24

Increased pet population makes a lot of sense.

My greedy cat suddenly died :( and leftover cat is a light eater. I'm suddenly very stocked up with boxes of food leftover cat won't eat. it will keep if we can't get another pet, I guess can donate to CPL.

I use all sorts of food packaging bags to poo pick, don't get why people need special bags for poo packing (*I walk other people's dogs).

BIWI · 09/03/2021 11:24

@WarfieldWolf

Absolutely shocked to see the type of foods bought for these pets! Whiskas/Pedigree/Purina and most supermarket own brands are high in cereals and sugars and low in meat ( your cat is a carnivore !!) Similarly priced products are available in your independent pet supplies, and most deliver (especially since covid started) The shortage is possibly due to the huge increase in cats and dogs during covid but disappointing to see so many pets fed from the supermarket meaning the big corporations (Pedigree Mars, Nestle Purina, Tesco, Sainsbury etc) are rubbing their hands together for the windfall but your local independent petshop sees little increase!! And BTW i do own a pet supplies, we do have a website, we deliver nationally and we deliver free in the evenings in a 20km radius - and i guess after all these years most people in our town dont even know we exist or THINK we are probably too expensive - - time to wake up and feed your pet properly and shop locally.

Stop it.

You insult people by saying we're not feeding our pets 'properly'.

And your claim that they're full of sugar is not true.

This is the ingredients list from Whiskas Fish Selection (salmon variety):

Meat and Animal Derivatives (34%, of which 94% Natural), Fish and Fish Derivatives (100% Natural, including 4% Salmon in the Chunk*), Minerals (0.6%), Vegetable Protein Extracts, Natural ingredients, **Chunk typically 43% of product

Unless labelling for pets is different for humans, of course.

Lellochip · 09/03/2021 11:32

@WarfieldWolf

Absolutely shocked to see the type of foods bought for these pets! Whiskas/Pedigree/Purina and most supermarket own brands are high in cereals and sugars and low in meat ( your cat is a carnivore !!) Similarly priced products are available in your independent pet supplies, and most deliver (especially since covid started) The shortage is possibly due to the huge increase in cats and dogs during covid but disappointing to see so many pets fed from the supermarket meaning the big corporations (Pedigree Mars, Nestle Purina, Tesco, Sainsbury etc) are rubbing their hands together for the windfall but your local independent petshop sees little increase!! And BTW i do own a pet supplies, we do have a website, we deliver nationally and we deliver free in the evenings in a 20km radius - and i guess after all these years most people in our town dont even know we exist or THINK we are probably too expensive - - time to wake up and feed your pet properly and shop locally.

I have cupboards full of grain-free/hydrolised/high-protein/raw foods that my cat will literally not touch. Lecture her on the importance of a good diet, not me...

IHaveBrilloHair · 09/03/2021 12:06

Oh god here come the pet police.

ExponentiallyDepleted · 09/03/2021 12:40

Mine share a pouch of Felix from Sainsburys twice a day but their main diet is a high meat grain-free dry food from my local pet shop, luckily ours isn't run by judgemental types.

pinkearedcow · 09/03/2021 12:41

@WarfieldWolf my last cat was fed on Felix and lived until he was 18, never ill until the last few months of his life. Current cat was fed on Animonda Carny for her first year or so, then went off it. She now eats Butcher's Classic from Sainsbury's, is 10 and in perfect health. Vet said her teeth are very good with no tartar.

BIWI · 09/03/2021 13:01

BTW - this is the only post from WarfieldWolf and I think this:

BTW i do own a pet supplies, we do have a website, we deliver nationally and we deliver free in the evenings in a 20km radius

... was a thinly disguised ad for their business

IHaveBrilloHair · 09/03/2021 13:06

I was ignoring it anyway.
My cats like what they like and are perfectly happy.

WindyPudding · 09/03/2021 13:10

Well my cats will be delighted by a shortage of cat food if it means they have to have human food instead.

Grumpyoldpersonwithcats · 09/03/2021 13:14

Clearly as an abusive cat owner who feeds his cats Felix, I can confirm that Costco had plenty in stock this morning.

WindyPudding · 09/03/2021 13:18

And yes WarfieldWolf I'm wondering if you've ever met a cat? They have their own ideas about what they like to eat.

TheSpottedZebra · 09/03/2021 13:24

...and i guess after all these years most people in our town dont even know we exist or THINK we are probably too expensive

Then you'd best work on your marketing, surely?

TheSpottedZebra · 09/03/2021 13:26

I don't know if I am an evil cat owner or a good one, as my cats eats grain free, which is.. Sainsbury's own pouches. I might have to switch to the tins if I cant get the pouches.
I probably should try it, as they are much better for the environment.

Toddlerteaplease · 09/03/2021 14:14

The Covid crisis, will be nothing to the crisis that will be caused my millions of cats on hunger strike because their usual food is out of stock. And they refuse every other offering.

Shehasadiamondinthesky · 09/03/2021 14:16

I always got mine online or from the vet anyway because all of my cats were on prescription diets for dental or gastric or whatever.

Polkadotties · 09/03/2021 14:17

Makes me laugh when I see people write that whiskers, tiger etc is bad for cats. My old girl had whiskers, felix and tiger cat food her entire 18 years and was never sick or sorry.

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