Buying dry dog food in bulk
Buying dry dog food in a larger bag is the simplest way to bring the cost per kilo down, since a bigger bag spreads packaging and handling costs over more food. It is not automatically the cheapest option in every case, though, and the only reliable way to tell is to work out the price per kilogram rather than comparing bag prices directly.
Why bigger bags usually cost less per kilo
A 12kg or 15kg bag typically works out cheaper per kilo than the same food in a 2kg or 3kg bag, because the packaging, handling and shipping cost of a bag does not scale up in line with its size. That gap can be substantial on some ranges and much smaller on others, so it is worth checking rather than assuming.
The saving only holds if the food gets used before it goes stale or the bag is stored properly once opened. A large bag left half-open in a warm kitchen loses freshness faster than the saving is worth, so the size that suits your dog's actual consumption matters as much as the headline price.
How to compare properly
Divide the total price by the bag weight to get a true price per kilo, and compare that figure across sizes and brands rather than the sticker price of the bag itself — a 15kg bag at what looks like an expensive price can still beat a 3kg bag of the same food once it is worked out per kilo.
It is also worth checking the feeding guide on the bag against how much your dog actually eats in a day. A food with a lower price per kilo but a much higher recommended daily amount can end up costing more per day to feed than a pricier food that goes further per portion.
What to check before buying a large bag
Make sure it is a recipe your dog already eats and tolerates well before committing to the largest size available — a big bag of a food that turns out not to agree with your dog is a false economy, however good the price per kilo looks on paper.
Check how you will store it once opened. A large bag needs an airtight container or a way to reseal it properly, since exposure to air is what turns dry food stale and less appealing well before any printed use-by date.
The cheaper end of the range
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Forthglade Cold Pressed Natural Turkey
Cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs from 2 months, soft enough to mix with water for young pups
£45.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Salmon
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for dogs, built on fresh and dried salmon
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Duck
Cold-pressed grain-free duck food with fruit and botanicals, in two bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Chicken
Cold-pressed grain-free chicken food with fruit and botanicals, in three bag sizes
From£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Turkey
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% turkey, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Chicken
A grain-free complete dry food for adult dogs, lightly baked and built on 50% chicken
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Small Dog Turkey
Cold-pressed grain-free dry food for small dogs and puppies, built on turkey
£16.99
Forthglade Complete Meal Lightly Baked Lamb
A lightly baked complete dry food, 50% lamb, for adult dogs of any breed
From£12.49
Forthglade Cold Pressed Grain Free Turkey
Grain-free cold-pressed turkey kibble for dogs, gentle on sensitive stomachs
£69.69
Harringtons Puppy Turkey & Rice
Complete turkey puppy food with 30% protein and feeding bands by adult weight
£6.49
Harringtons Adult Dog Turkey Veg
Complete dry food for adult dogs with turkey, chicken and salmon oil, 21% protein
From£3.39
Harringtons Adult Dog Salmon & Potato
Complete salmon and potato dry dog food with 21% protein in a 1.7KG bag
£6.25
Common questions
- Is a bigger bag of dog food always cheaper per kilo?
- Usually, but not always. Work out the price per kilo for each bag size rather than assuming — some ranges price their larger bags proportionally, in which case there is no saving beyond convenience, so it is worth checking the actual numbers before buying the biggest option.
- How should I store a large bag of dry food once it is open?
- Keep it in a cool, dry place in an airtight container, or reseal the original bag tightly and squeeze out excess air. Dry food exposed to air loses freshness and some of its aroma over time, which is more noticeable in a bag that takes weeks rather than days to work through.
- Does buying in bulk mean the food is lower quality?
- No, bag size and recipe quality are separate things. Plenty of well-regarded foods are sold in large bags simply because that is a cost-effective way to package and ship dry kibble, and the recipe inside is the same as it would be in a smaller bag.
- How do I work out cost per portion rather than cost per kilo?
- Check the feeding guide on the bag for the daily amount suggested for your dog's weight, then divide the bag's price per kilo by how many kilos that daily amount represents. That gives a rough cost per day, which is a more useful comparison than the price per kilo alone if two foods have very different feeding amounts.
Related
Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.