Pets at Home has said it would consider further stockpiling of pet food and products ahead of the new October Brexit deadline if a disruptive no deal remains on the cards.

Speaking to the Press Association, chief executive Peter Pritchard said the group had already run down the £4 million of extra stocks built up in advance of the original March 29 Brexit deadline.

But he said the group would look to rekindle stockbuilding efforts if the prospect of a no-deal Brexit risks disruption to its product supply in the autumn.

He said: “We will always protect customer availability. Our focus is on making sure our customers can buy the things they want.”

Mr Pritchard said that as a pet retailer, the chain has been shielded from some of the Brexit uncertainties hitting other retailers and businesses.

“Pets are part of the family and we can see even through these challenging times that people continue to spend on their pet,” he said.