Jul 29, 2026 – 1.24pmFor the past three years, supermarket giant Coles watched from the sidelines with a serious case of FOMO. It wasn’t enough to just sell cans of pet food and rubber squeak-toys in the supermarket aisle – not when Australians were treating their pets like family and spending up big.Across the country, two-thirds of households now share their homes with a furry or feathered family member, opening their wallets for premium treats and accessories and doggy day care – even in a crippling cost-of-living crunch.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Carrie LaFrenzSenior reporterCarrie LaFrenz is a senior journalist covering retail/consumer goods. She previously covered healthcare/biotech. Carrie has won multiple awards for her journalism including financial journalist of the year from The National Press Club.Fetching latest articles