Nestlé Purina Partnership: The Data That Matters
Posted by Marketing & PR on 7 Jul 2025
In the first two blogs, we explored how the dog obesity health pack was created and the behavioural science behind it. In this final instalment, we share the results of the pilot and what they mean for the future of canine health.
When it comes to tackling dog obesity, we need evidence to show what really works. This is where a groundbreaking collaboration between the University of Sheffield, Nestlé Purina and Perfect Circle comes in. Together, we’ve designed a practical solution that helps owners make healthier choices for their pets.
That is why the pilot trial of the health pack was so important. For too long, advice on pet weight management has relied on well-meaning conversations, usually with a vet, without practical follow up. The health pack was designed as a structured intervention tool, distributed through vets, to provide owners with clear and practical ways to reduce or control their dog’s weight.
Inside the pack were resources shaped around the COM-B behaviour change model, offering guidance on feeding, exercise and treat management in a format owners could realistically use day to day.
This project not only gave dog owners tools they could use but also measured whether those tools actually changed behaviour. By combining Purina’s industry support, the University of Sheffield’s academic rigour and Perfect Circle’s expertise in social marketing, the collaboration ensured the pack was both credible and effective.
The trial in numbers
- 78 owners received the health pack
- 49 completed follow-up questionnaires
- 94% reported using the pack
- 80% said they had changed how they fed, exercised or interacted with their dog
- 92% of those changes were directly linked to the pack
- Early results showed improvements in weight and Body Condition Score
These figures matter because they show high levels of engagement, which is often the hardest part of preventive health programmes. It’s one thing to give out advice; it’s another to see owners putting it into action.
Why Perfect Circle was chosen
Nestlé Purina wanted this project to stand apart as peer-reviewed and scientific piece of work that would bring positive health outcomes and would be the first of its kind in pet obesity. Perfect Circle was invited to work on this project because of our expertise in social marketing for behaviour change and our ability to design interventions that owners actually use. We helped translate behavioural theory, including the COM-B model, into practical tools that could be deployed to make a difference in a pet owners’ daily life.
Co-creation makes the difference
A crucial part of the process was co-creation. Perfect Circle worked with the University of Sheffield to run workshops where vets and owners tested early concepts. Their feedback determined what stayed, what was adapted and what was removed. This collaborative approach ensured the final pack was grounded in evidence, refined for usability and capable of driving meaningful change in real households.
What owners changed
Owners cut back on treats, reduced portion sizes and swapped snacks for healthier alternatives. Some increased walks, while others used play and training as rewards. These are the kinds of changes vets recommend but often struggle to embed in busy households.
The health pack made those recommendations easier to follow by breaking them down into manageable steps.
Why the data matters
The evidence substantiates that this initiative transcends a conceptual exercise. Through the collaboration of the University of Sheffield, Nestlé Purina and Perfect Circle, a rigorously developed pet health intervention has been created that demonstrably secures owner engagement and yields measurable benefits and healthier outcomes for dogs.
That’s rare in preventive pet care, where compliance and engagement are often low. It indicates that when behavioural science is paired with social marketing theory, design and industry support, behaviour change can be achieved on a meaningful scale.
What’s next
The early pilot results pave the way for larger trials and wider distribution. With Purina producing packs for vet practices, thousands more owners will soon have access. Each pack is a chance to prevent illness, improve the quality of life and extend the years we enjoy with our dogs.
The pilot demonstrates that evidence-based social marketing delivers tangible results. Owners are already experiencing positive outcomes, while vets now have a structured way to initiate meaningful conversations about weight management. In partnership with Nestlé Purina and the University of Sheffield, we are proud to have translated research into a rigorously tested intervention that can make a measurable difference to canine health.
You can read the full paper here
If you’d like to discuss your next social marketing campaign, get in touch.
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