“Great for the UK pet industry”

With more than 340 exhibitors showcasing hundreds of new products in all three halls of Telford International Centre, the British pet trade show Pats proved to be a record-breaker. Pats has smashed all records with its first-ever three-day show, attracting its highest ever attendance figures since the event was launched in 2009.

A total of 3 541 visitors – made up of retailers, buyers, groomers and industry professionals – came, which was 52 per cent higher than the previous record set last year. The new three-day format proved a hit and attendees were delighted by the huge volume of business being done across all three days of the show, the organizers report.

Visitor Toni Thornton, managing director of Four Oaks Pet Supplies, Scarborough, agreed, stating: “We’ve come to Pats for the whole three days because you just can’t do it justice in only two”. For him, Pats is an important highlight of the year and “we wouldn’t want to miss any of it!”

Show director Gordon Thomas said the visitor attendance record, backed up by the highest number of exhibitors, was clear evidence of the event’s popularity. “Overall, the response to Pats 2024 has been excellent and positive, and proves that the pet industry is firmly behind this show.”

There was also a lot of excitement around the news that Pats was moving to the NEC Birmingham in 2025. London-based retailer Guiseppe Bloom-Mangione, founder of Muthapuppa, welcomed that news: “Getting to the show in future will certainly be easier for me, and for many others, I expect.”

This view was shared by Matthew Gwynn from Johnson’s Veterinary Products. The Sales & Digital Marketing Manager commented: “This was the busiest show ever for us, with high caliber visitors and plenty of opportunities to network with key customers.” He also believes that with the move to the NEC, it is an excellent platform for next year. “With the venue being so close to Birmingham International Airport, we are confident it will attract even more international interest.”

Daniel Vander, Managing Director of We.pet, agreed that the Pats will then attract even more international interest. Greg Van Praagh, head of the UK division of the RPFC Group, whose brands include Benyfit Natural and Billy + Margot, was also in favor of the expanded Pats because more time can be spent with customers. “The Pats continues to grow and that’s a good thing because it gives more businesses – big and small…