Latest news with #dogfood
Reuters
14 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Nigeria's dog owners hit with surging pet food prices amid cost of living crisis
IBADAN, Nigeria, June 10 (Reuters) - Nigeria's two-year-old cost of living crisis, which has seen the price of grocery staples like rice rise over 100% since 2023, has reached the relatively affluent class of dog owners, who are struggling to feed their pets because of soaring food costs. Keeping animals as pets is a recent trend in Nigerian society, where traditionally people were more likely to live with chicken or goats reared for food. Over the past two decades, there was a rise in the number of households in urban areas keeping pet dogs, often for security in a country plagued by violent crime, but also for companionship. No precise data are available on dog ownership, but a 2023 survey by research agency TGM Statbox indicated that around 42% of Nigerians own pets. However, in a sign of economic hard times hitting across society, that is an increasingly expensive luxury. One dog owner, Peter Anthony, a student who lives with his parents in the southwestern city of Ibadan, said feeding his German Shepherd, Flora, was never previously a concern for the family. "Before the whole high cost of living saga, feeding her was so easy," he said, waiting for Flora at a pet hospital where she had been treated for an ear condition. "But now, by the time you pick out that money from your pocket, you'd know that something has left you," he said. The family now feeds Flora a smaller daily ration of noodles mixed with fish or eggs, Anthony said. Flora's owners are among the lucky ones who are still able to keep their dog healthy, even footing vets' bills. In a crisis that began when government removed a fuel subsidy and devalued the naira currency in May 2023, inflation has been in double digit territory, hitting 34.80% last December, the highest in three decades, before easing to 23.71% in April. Latest World Bank data shows that 31% of Nigeria's more than 200 million citizens live below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15 per day. While pet owners are not among the country's poorest, they are feeling the pinch. Some dog breeders say they are reducing their activity because so many pet owners are struggling. Sarah Mokelu, who has a business importing dogs from Russia, has reduced the frequency of her trips there to about once every three months, from twice a month previously, because of surging prices and a drop in sales. During her twice a month trips, she said she would bring between 15 and 20 dogs. Now, during her last trip in May, she brought in six dogs. "Feeding has really humbled a lot of people," said Mokelu, 63, at her home in the Ejigbo neighbourhood of Lagos. "There was a feed we bought about six months ago for 40,000 naira ($25.70), now we're buying for 70,000 naira." This price, for a 15-kg (33-lb) bag, is the same as the country's minimum monthly wage of 70,000 naira. Akindele Olunloyo, CEO of a dog importing company called Pet Lovers Nigeria, said all of his costs - animals, food, transport, permits, airport fees - had risen so much that he had changed his business model. Olunloyo runs an online platform that helps Nigerians buy and sell pets. He said 90% of the people on the site were interested in buying and selling dogs at a price range of 20,000 to 100,000 naira, well below the price he might charge for an imported dog, which could be in the 300,000-500,000 naira range. "I now import only for clients who are interested in buying their own food, high net worth Nigerians who place specific orders," he said. Several breeders said they had switched from imported dog foods to cheaper alternatives, like mixing rice or noodles with fish eggs. As imported dog food has become unaffordable for many, business has improved for local pet food producers. "People not being able to afford the foreign kibbles ... made people to look in our direction," said Theresa Iwhewhe, who owns a pet hospital and pet food producing company in Ibadan. There is hardly any data on locally produced pet foods. But research firm ReportLinker says imports into Nigeria are expected to decline to 769,000 kg by 2028, down from around 1.3 million kg in 2023. ($1 = 1,558.3100 naira)
Forbes
a day ago
- Business
- Forbes
Agentic Commerce And EU VAT Compliance: When AI Buys For You
Digital background depicting AI technologies. Agentic commerce is a new way of shopping where AI agents (smart computer programs) do the shopping for you. Instead of having to search, compare, and buy things yourself, you can tell an AI agent what you want, and it will take care of everything. These agents don't just suggest products — they can actually make decisions and complete the purchase for you, using your saved payment methods. You still stay in control by setting the rules and determining what the agent is allowed to buy. Using smart purchasing agents may save you time and effort. Rather than having to remember to place orders or spend time searching for the best deals, your agent does all of that work for you. For busy people, or for routine purchases like groceries or pet supplies, it's like having a tireless, always-on shopping assistant. How does agentic commerce actually work? You simply give the AI agent a task, just as you would give instructions to a personal assistant. Here's a simple, realistic example of how this could work in everyday life. Imagine you have a dog named Max, and every month you need to buy a specific type of dog food. With an AI agent, you can set it up once by saying something like, 'Every month, order Max's dog food. Look for discounts, and keep the cost under $50. Only buy from stores that have 90% positive reviews.' From then on, the agent automatically handles it for you. It goes to work behind the scenes by browsing different online stores, comparing prices, and reading product reviews. Once it finds a product that meets your criteria, it selects it, checks out, and pays for it using your saved and securely protected payment information. You receive a notification or confirmation once the purchase is complete, so you always know what's happening. Max's food arrives at your door, and you don't have to do a thing. As AI-powered shopping agents start making purchases on behalf of consumers, one question looms large for tax authorities and businesses alike: who actually participates in the transaction? In the EU VAT system, it is essential to identify who is making the purchase and who is selling the product. Under traditional VAT rules, this is straightforward: the buyer and seller are natural or legal persons, and the transaction occurs directly between them. However, the rise of autonomous AI agents introduces new questions. Does the presence of an AI agent in the transaction flow change the identity of the purchaser? Since these agents act much like intermediaries—searching, selecting, and even placing orders—do they alter the transaction flow? Under EU VAT law, if an intermediary (also called an 'undisclosed agent') makes a purchase in their own name but on behalf of a third party, a legal fiction of two transactions is created: first, from the supplier to the intermediary, and then from the intermediary to the final customer. However, this rule only applies when the intermediary is a natural or legal person—someone who can hold legal rights and obligations. AI agents do not have legal personalities. They cannot conclude contracts or assume legal responsibility in their own name. Even though an AI agent may sit 'between' the buyer and seller in the technical transaction flow, it cannot legally act as either the buyer or the seller. As a result, no VAT fiction of a two-stage sale is created when an AI agent is involved. For VAT purposes, the transaction is treated as a direct sale from the seller to the buyer. All key VAT elements—such as the place of supply and applicable VAT rates—are determined based on the buyer's legal status and location, exactly as if the buyer had completed the purchase without the help of an AI agent. Online sellers are required to determine where their customers are located in order to apply the correct VAT rate. EU VAT rules stipulate that sellers must collect two pieces of non-contradictory evidence—for example, an IP address plus a billing or bank address—to identify the buyer's location. However, some online sellers do not strictly follow these rules and rely on only one method of customer location verification. Some sellers use IP geolocation to estimate the buyer's location. When a smart agent logs in via its own servers, it might appear that the 'buyer' is located elsewhere. An AI agent may run on servers located anywhere in the world—Europe, Asia, North America—regardless of the buyer's actual residence. This could cause sellers to apply the wrong VAT rate if VAT is calculated automatically based on the IP address rather than verified billing data. For instance, if an AI agent uses a UK-based IP while the buyer is actually in Germany, the seller might mistakenly apply UK VAT instead of German VAT. The emergence of agentic commerce underscores the necessity of proper customer location verification. In agentic commerce, the AI agent's IP address may differ from the buyer's actual location—and that is acceptable from a VAT standpoint. What matters is the location of the actual buyer, which must be verified using reliable data such as a billing address or payment details. Even if an agent appears (via IP) to be in one country, the sale is taxed according to where the buyer resides or where the product is used. Sellers may use IP as a supplementary cross-check, but it cannot replace the legally required customer information. As agentic commerce gains momentum, one emerging risk stands out: what happens when consumers instruct AI agents to seek VAT-free purchases or use 'strategies' to avoid VAT? At first glance, telling an AI agent to "shop tax-free" may seem harmless as everyone likes a good deal. But within the EU VAT system, this can become a serious compliance issue. In B2C transactions within the EU, VAT is generally unavoidable. Instructing an agent to seek out "tax-free" products can easily steer it toward non-compliant or even fraudulent behavior. The agent might start prioritizing purchases from sellers who falsely advertise 'VAT-free' sales when VAT should, in fact, be charged. Cross-border e-commerce introduces additional risks. AI agents can easily split large orders into multiple smaller transactions to stay below VAT and customs exemption thresholds. While the EU removed the VAT import exemption of €22 in 2021, the broader customs duty exemption threshold of €150 remains. Parcels under €150 also benefit from fewer border inspections and simplified processes, such as the Import One Stop Shop scheme. The EU already considers VAT fraud involving low-value, cross-border e-commerce a major concern. Agents programmed to optimize tax outcomes could significantly increase the number of low-value shipments. For example, a €200 order could be broken into several €50 transactions to slip below the €150 threshold. Intra-EU B2B trade presents another potential abuse case. Under EU VAT rules, cross-border sales to business customers are generally VAT-exempt. The seller typically requires the customer to provide a valid VAT ID number to confirm their business status. But a private individual could instruct an AI agent to falsely claim business status to avoid paying VAT. Agents can easily automate this by harvesting or generating fake VAT IDs and submitting them across multiple sellers. Many small EU sellers do not automatically validate VAT IDs in real time (though they should), making them vulnerable to unknowingly participating in this type of fraud. While this kind of deception is already possible manually, AI agents can scale it rapidly, increasing both the risk and potential volume of fraud. As agentic commerce grows, it will become essential to establish clear guidelines—a kind of 'responsible AI shopping agent policy.' Agents must be designed to handle identity and VAT status in a compliant manner. At the same time, online sellers should implement automated VAT ID validation checks to defend against abuse. Without these controls, the next wave of digital commerce could create new tax compliance challenges across the EU. Agentic commerce is expected to become both smarter and more widespread in the coming years. According to research by Gartner, 33% of businesses will incorporate agentic AI by 2028, up from less than 1% today. In just a few years, it's likely that AI-driven shopping will be a common part of consumer behavior—helping people save time, discover better deals, and automate routine purchases with minimal effort. Agentic commerce doesn't 'break' the EU VAT system, but it certainly amplifies many of its long-standing complexities—from questions about buyer location and identity verification to the potential misuse of exemption thresholds. Agentic commerce will only thrive in the long term if it remains trusted by consumers, businesses, and tax authorities alike. That trust depends on building a system where AI-enabled convenience does not come at the expense of VAT compliance. Striking that balance will be one of the challenges in the evolving landscape of digital commerce. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of any organizations with which the author is affiliated.
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
5 dog food buying tips to ensure the best nutrition for your pet given its breed and size
Choosing your dog's food can feel overwhelming because of the array of options available, all claiming to be the best on the market. Wading through these choices to find a brand that is healthy, affordable and appealing to your pet can be frustrating. The American Kennel Club offers tips on how to choose the best dog food for your pet. Nutritional needs It is important to remember that not every dog has the same nutritional needs. Large dogs and puppies have different nutritional requirements from small dogs and puppies. The nutritional needs of a puppy are different from an adult, which is why it's a good idea to give them a puppy formula or an 'all life stages' food. There are a lot of claims surrounding dog food, so check that nutritional information is supported by a credible source. Photo: Shutterstock Myths and misinformation The internet is full of claims about dog nutrition with scientific evidence to back them up. While doing your research, check to see if the information is supported by a credible source, like a vet, canine nutritionist or scientific study. Dog food labels
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Memorial Day deal gives pet owners 60% off the internet's favorite customized dog food: 'My little guy devoured it right up!'
If you've ever stared at dog food packaging in total confusion, you are not alone. With questionably vague ingredient lists that may or may not be a little too processed, it's really hard to feel great about what you're feeding your fur baby. That's exactly what led one dog parent to create a better option, and now thousands of dogs are getting in on the action. Spot & Tango has essentially rewritten the rules, and it's largely thanks to their hero product, UnKibble. Convenient, high-quality, and healthy, it's tailor-made specifically to meet your pet's needs. Spot & Tango - Dog Food Delivery Get 60 percent off your first trial of Spot & Tango's delicious meals for dogs. With human-grade ingredients and personalized plans, this food delivers real nutrition that is based specifically on what your pup needs — nothing more, nothing less. Dog owners report that their pets love it! Save 60% Shop Right now, new customers can score a serious deal. Take advantage of 60 percent off trial orders through May 27, 2025. After that, their evergreen offer is still a generous 50 percent savings for first-time buyers. It's a low-risk way to give the brand a try! It looks just like dry food and you can store it just as you would dry food. But the differences end there, because UnKibble is made with nutritious, human-grade ingredients — no sketchy fillers added. Think whole fruits, grains, vegetables, and USDA meat. With recipes like Beef and Barley, Turkey and Sweet Potato, and Cod and Salmon, there's something to satiate every canine's appetite, no matter how picky they might be. Each one is carefully formulated by professionals — veterinary nutritionists, to be exact — and crafted in small batches at the company's own Pennsylvania facility. It's so simple to get started, too. The experience begins with a quick quiz. Just answer a few easy questions about your pet, including their age, breed, weight, energy level, and lifestyle. The brand uses this information to create food that is prepared specifically to meet your dog's needs. Whether your pet spends more time chilling on the couch or is a more adventurous sort, you can rely on Spot & Tango to deliver fresh, flavorful meals directly to your door. For those who prefer to serve it fresh, the brand also offers its Fresh recipes range that's ready to serve in flavors like Turkey and Quinoa, Beef and Brown Rice, and Lamb and Sweet Potato. Just open it up, scoop it out, and serve. That's it! No matter which option you choose, expect the highest quality food every time. Each meal is thoughtfully made and highly nutritious, without any artificial additives and preservatives. You can read the label and identify absolutely everything you see! It's also worth mentioning that the brand has served more than 85 million meals and has countless five-star reviews. Dog people are pretty particular, but Spot & Tango has definitely earned trust and loyalty. The reviews are glowing, with pet owners sharing how much they appreciate the service. 'The quality of the food is great,' raved one shopper. 'My little guy devoured it right up!'. 'Before resorting to canned food which we did not want to do, we tried Spot and Tango. It was a hit. As soon as we put his bowl down he readily eats and eats it all! It's worth every penny to see him finally enjoying his food!' exclaimed another. Get started today — and don't forget to take advantage of the big Memorial Day sales event! Your discount is auto-applied when you click the link to shop Spot & Tango.
Times
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
James Watt on Georgia Toffolo: I lost £150,000 — but gained a wife
James and I were set up on a blind date the summer before last, although I'd heard of him because everyone knew about BrewDog, with its crazy marketing. I own a dog food company and when I was building the brand I remember talking to somebody in marketing who said, 'How crazy do you want to be, on a scale of one to James Watt?' I thought that if James created such fun stuff he'd be right up my street. Even on our first date it was clear it was going to be something special. We were glued together immediately. I love being around successful people, but then I'm also a bit of a high achiever. I was always tough on myself, always wanted to
