While Brits may be planning to cut back on Christmas spending this year, a survey by Jollyes said pets will be spared from the impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

The retailer said almost 70% of pet owners will put a present under the tree for their furry friend this Christmas, while 60% are planning to make their pet a special festive feed.

Only one in ten (11%) of people planned to spend more on their friends and families this Christmas and almost half (43%) to spend less, the Cision/Maru survey of 1,000 people across the UK showed.

Jollyes, which has more than 80 stores across the UK, said pet spend is being prioritised – with three-quarters of the population (75%) planning to spend the same or more on their pets this Christmas; and almost as many men (65%) plan to buy a present for their pet as women (71%).

The nationwide statistics mask important regional variations.

Jollyes head of marketing, Phil Turner-Naylor said: “The survey confirms what everyone at Jollyes already knows – pets come first. It wouldn’t be Christmas in the UK without the pets we love.

“Our survey shows pet owners are bending over backwards to make sure their pets are pampered this Christmas.”