The supermarket Morrisons is to launch new pet food packaging which will alert shoppers to the ideal portion size their cat or dog should be eating, in a bid to tackle the UK's growing pet obesity problem.

Morrisons is the first supermarket to add portion control guidance to the front of their pet food packaging, and it follows research from Petplan which found that 36% of all dogs and 29% of cats treated by vets are obese. In addition, 71% of vets agree that cases of obesity are continuing to rise.

Each packet of Morrisons pet food will provide the correct portion for a healthy weight pet and, according to the company, the packaging will communicate the amount of servings each product provides clearly.

Apparently, 70% of owners believe that their dog or cat has never been overweight, which shows that there is a level of confusion amongst owners as to how much their pet is eating. A further 83% do not even worry about giving their pet too much food. Morrisons is aiming to make it easier for pet lovers to ensure their animal doesn't put on any unnecessary weight especially with Christmas just around the corner and the temptation of being fed leftovers and treats.

According to vets asked by Petplan there are five main reasons for an obesity problem amongst household pets. They are:

• Too much food
• Lack of exercise
• Not knowing the healthy weight or shape of their pet
• Snacking
• Wrong type of food

John Cannan, New Product Development Manager for Pet Food at Morrisons said: "We've had feedback from our customers which says that they are often in the dark about how much food they should be buying and giving their pet. Our new packaging will ensure that shoppers have a clearer sense of portion sizes whilst also saving them some pennies"

Brian Faulkner Petplan Vet of the Year said: "It's great to see Morrisons taking the lead on this and helping shoppers make more informed decisions about what they are feeding their pet. Whilst it's normal to give your animal a treat every now and then, pets do need to follow healthy regimes just like we do. Keeping your pet fit and healthy will ultimately save you money on veterinary bills as well."

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