The animal ownership boom during the pandemic continued to provide Pets at Home with strong growth during its latest financial period, revealing that profits are likely to be ahead of expectations.
The Cheshire-headquartered group confirmed sales hit £319.4m in the 12 weeks to December 30, a jump of 8.7% on the same period a year ago.
Its retail business enjoyed particularly strong growth during the run-up to Christmas, up 9.8% as customers turned to more premium brands to pamper their pets. The company's vet business saw sales up 4%.
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But the company, which has major operations in Staffordshire, warned that inflation pressures hitting the economy are starting to take hold, with supply chain costs increasing.
Pets at Home said: "We, like many others, are witnessing a number of inflationary pressures across the supply chain.
"While we are not immune to these challenges, we are proactively mitigating them through a series of planned initiatives."
The retailer said these include targeting rent reductions, procurement savings and "operational efficiencies".
Despite the cost pressures, bosses are confident that underlying pre-tax profits will beat expectations, coming in at at least £140m.
There was strong growth in Pets at Home's VIP loyalty scheme, up 13% year on year to seven million members, with more than one in four shopping across stores and online.
Its puppy and kitten club membership levels jumped 60%, with 24,000 new members registering every week, and bosses pointing out that members typically spend a third more than non-members across the group.
Less growth was seen at the company's First Opinion vet practices, however, with new client registrations at 9,200 a week compared with 9,000 in the same period a year ago.
Chief executive Peter Pritchard said: "Our unique, omnichannel pet care strategy continues to deliver strong revenue growth, reflecting continued momentum in customer acquisition, engagement and spend as the benefits of our ongoing investment in capacity and capability really start to deliver.
"We are firmly on track to report a record year of sales and profit growth, and I am incredibly grateful to all of our fantastic colleagues and partners across the group for their hard work and commitment to helping us become the best pet care business in the world.
"I remain confident that the combination of our strategic investments, strength and depth of our exceptional leadership team and successful initiatives to increase operational efficiencies across the group will underpin sustainable, long-term and profitable growth".
The group added that the search for Mr Pritchard's successor, after it was confirmed in November he would step down this summer, is "well advanced".
It also said that Vet Group chief operating offer Jane Balmain will retire by spring 2023.
