Marks & Spencer (M&S) has entered the UK petfood market with the launch of Paws & Pals, a new own-brand range covering 13 lines of treats, kibble and toppers for cats and dogs. The range became available in M&S Foodhalls on 19 August 2026.
The launch marks M&S Food’s expansion into petfood as the retailer works to become a ‘true shopping list retailer,’ encouraging customers to purchase more of their weekly essentials from M&S. The company said grocery accounts for half of the petfood market, with customers increasingly buying petfood as part of their regular grocery shop.
M&S said its research found that 60 percent of customers are paying closer attention to the ingredients in their pets’ food. In response, Paws & Pals uses what M&S describes as 100 percent real ingredients, along with high meat content, grain-free recipes, and added vitamins and minerals. The range is both nutritionally balanced and delicious for pets, and the recipes were developed in-house by the M&S Food team.
The move also reflects the size of the potential customer base. According to data cited by M&S, around 31 percent of UK households own a dog, while 25 percent own a cat. The company said pets are an important part of family life for millions of UK households.
Alex Freudmann, Managing Director, M&S Food, said, “We’re focused on becoming a true shopping list retailer, making it easier for customers to do more of their weekly shop with M&S. Pets are part of the family for millions of households, and petfood is a natural extension of our Food business.”
He added that they have developed Paws & Pals with the same focus on quality that sits behind every M&S Food product. Every recipe has been developed to give customers confidence that they’re feeding their pets food made with quality ingredients they can trust.
