Animal social media stars have caused a surge in pet spending
Argos says sales of pet grooming and accessory products have more than doubled on this time last year.
Pet owners in the UK seeking social media fame for their animals have triggered a surge in sales of pet accessories in the last year, new research from Argos claims.
The retail giant has revealed that sales of premium pet grooming products have increased by 163% compared to the same period last year.
The hashtag dogsofinstagram has been used on more than 70 million posts, and #catsofinstagram has been used more than 60 million times.
Alongside the huge rise in grooming products, Argos also said pet accessory sales have also increased by 13%.
Famous pets too are becoming increasingly prominent – Mark Zuckerberg’s Hungarian sheepdog Beast has more than 2.6 million likes on his Facebook page.
“It’s great to see so many people documenting the antics of their beloved pets and sharing these moments on their social channels. With pets now dominating newer social networks such as Snapchat, the ‘pet-working’ trend isn’t slowing down any time soon.”
According to the retailer, its most popular pet accessory is a £39.99 scratch and rest station for cats, followed by a fur radiator bed, which costs £9.99.
