With the UK fashion industry currently worth £26 billion to the country's economy, spending on fashion and accessories for pets is likely to continue to rise as a result of a growing trend of ‘humanisation’ and wearable technology for animals. Pet fashion items have an extremely long history, with the evidence of dog collars being used as far back as 3100 BC.

Andrew Bucher, Chief Veterinary Officer at MedicAnimal, the UK’s leading online pet healthcare retailer, said:

“Britain has long been touted as a nation of animal lovers, which was confirmed last year when we spent a record £6 billion on our pets, and 2015 saw global spending on domestic animals break through the $100bn barrier for the first time, rising to $103.8bn.

“Wearable technology sales are expected to reach an estimated $2.6 billion US by 2025, and pets are increasingly important, with a MedicAnimal survey finding that 98% of dog owners and 96% cat owners agreed that their pet was a member of the family. The Petplan Pet Census from 2011 found that one quarter of respondents have bought clothing for their pet, and with the implications of wearable technology for the pet insurance market we expect to see a continued rise in the purchase of these devices.”