Biggest-ever PATS ends on a high & New Product Awards revealed
The biggest-ever PATS closed on a high with exhibitors and visitors delighted by the huge volume of business being done across all three days of the show.
The new three-day format proved a huge hit, with the final day continuing in the same busy vein as pet retailers and industry professionals arrived at Telford International Centre to see the array of innovations coming to market.
With more than 340 exhibitors showcasing hundreds of new products in all three halls of Telford International Centre, it proved to be a record-breaker.
There was also a lot of excitement around the news that PATS was moving to the NEC Birmingham in 2025.
This year’s PATS featured the new Aquatics Zone – a dedicated hall for the key aquatics, reptile and watergardening exhibitors showcasing their latest launches.
The pet industry now looks forward to the next PATS at the NEC Birmingham, taking place over three days from Sunday, 28th September, to Tuesday, 30th September 2025.
The winners of the PATS 2024 New Product Awards
The winners of the PATS 2024 New Product Awards, sponsored by pbwnews, were chosen by a team of expert pet retailers, who arrived early at the show in order to make their choices from the record number of entries.
The panel judged more than 400 new products entered in the New Product Showcase, basing their decisions on criteria such as product innovation, design, quality, packaging, value for money and sustainability.
Judging took place on Sunday, 29th September and the judges agreed that the New Product Showcase had produced a high calibre of entries with a tremendous amount of innovation. They were also pleased to see such a wide range of products and great choice for the consumer.
The Awards were presented to the winners at 4pm on Sunday by David Rees, editor of pbwnews, and show organiser Gordon Thomas.
Here is a full list of the winners together with the judges’ comments:
New Product Award Winners (sponsored by pbwnews)
Cat Accessories & Toys
LickiMat Kitty
LickiMat (stand A10)
Judges said: It’s a fun product that will occupy cats for a long time, and is beneficial to pets in multiple ways. As well as having a great price point, it comes in clear and colourful packaging.
Cat Food Products
Cat: Happy Gut Yoghurt Squeeze
Frozzys (stand J40)
Judges said: Cats will love this great product. It’s the first cat yoghurt in the Frozzys range and is bound to be a bestseller. It has an eye-catching design and is well priced.
Dog Food Products
Dougie’s Pure Veg Blocks
Dougie’s Pets (stand E35)
Judges said: An excellent product for boosting the diet of fussy dogs. It comes in good-sized portions and is well priced.
Dog Treat Products
Pick N Mix Training Treat Pots
K9 Chew Co (stand K35a)
Judges said: This product is a clever idea and is very reasonably priced. It comes in fun packaging and has a good price point.
Dog Accessories & Toys
Tall Tails Animated Dog Toy Range
Kennelpak (stand B20)
Judges said: An absolutely brilliant toy with lots of different features to keep a dog entertained. It’s different from anything else in the market.
Dog Harnesses, Leads & Dog Wear
Halti Anatomy Harness
Company of Animals (stand G42)
Judges said: Another superb product from an innovative company. It is well made, has a colourful design and is well priced.
Small Animal & Bird Products
Happy Bird Bark Butters
Unipet (stand F80)
Judges said: A fun and innovative product with a unique design that’s sure to fly off the shelves.
Pet Care Products
POOZ – Worm Egg Counts for Pets
ScientifEQ (stand Q5)
Judges said: A simple but very effective product that is much needed. It has clear instructions, making it easy to use.
Grooming Products
Tick Twister Clip Box 3 Piece
Tick Twister (stand K35b)
Judges said: This is a handy and essential tool. It’s easy to carry at all times.
New Starter Zone Award
Make-Your-Own Dog Treats: Cheese & Super Seaweed
Dog & Bond (stand Q26)
Judges said: This is a novel treat kit with a good price point. It comes in recyclable packing and is hand-made in the UK. It has easy-to-follow instructions and comes with tempting flavours.
Aquatics Zone New Product Awards revealed
The winners of the first-ever Aquatics Zone New Product Awards at PATS were revealed on the first day of the show.
Acknowledging the importance of the Aquatics Zone, the dedicated area for reptile, aquatics and watergardening specialists had its own New Product Showcase in Hall 1A.
The New Product Awards for the Aquatics Zone were chosen by a team of retail experts in three categories – indoor, outdoor and reptile.
The Awards were presented to the winners at 3.30pm on Sunday by show organiser Gordon Thomas.
Here is a full list of the winners together with the judges’ comments:
Aquatics Zone New Product Award Winners
Indoor
AxoCure, Axo Safe & Axo Tonic
NT Labs (stand AZ51)
Judges said: There will be huge demand for this product. It’s well branded and is excellent value for money. It’s a great addition to the Axolotl range.
Outdoor
All Season Blanket Answer
Cloverleaf (stand AZ17)
Judges said: A much-needed product, especially with more people owning ponds.
Reptile
Exo Terra Terrasky UV LED Range
Rolf C Hagen (stand AZ49)
Judges said: This energy efficient UV LED terrarium lighting has a remote control, making it easily adjustable. It comes with clear instructions, is packaged nicely and has a good price point.