The furlough scheme ends in October, and if you are one of the nine million workers furloughed as a direct result of Covid, the prospect of redundancy must be real.

Facing an uncertain future means that finding a stable income will be high on your agenda and OSCAR Pet Foods know that exciting opportunities in pet care may well hold the key to your success.

Franchising tends to perform well in a recession thanks to tried and tested business models, trusted brand names, shared marketing potential and competitive trading opportunities –and the pet care sector is a shining example. Globally, pet care is one of the largest and fastest growing e-commerce categories and being awarded essential business status throughout this pandemic means its resilience continues.

Pet care is always a popular choice. No matter how long this recession lasts, dogs still need walking and much-loved pets still need loving and feeding. In fact, with recent figures* from the Pet Food Manufacturers’ Association (PFMA) confirming 9 million dogs, 7.5 million cats and 400,000 guinea pigs are owned throughout the UK, demand is at an all-time high!

Great news for those of you who may well be re-evaluating your life work balance after Covid and have the desire and the energy to work your way out of a recession.

If making an investment during a recession seems daunting, it’s important to remember that franchising is seen by banks as a low-risk investment, and many UK banks have dedicated franchise units. Andy Brattesani, UK Head of Franchising for HSBC reports, “At the HSBC franchise unit last year we lent 400 million in the franchising sector … and this year we will do half a billion.”

With investment security at your fingertips, finding the perfect franchise to fit your skills and lifestyle is also key.

OSCAR is much more than a franchise. We’re a business format franchise – just like some of the most famous brands you know – which means we provide outstanding ongoing support, advice and training so that you can grow your business with a safety net of expertise stretched out beneath you.

At OSCAR we look for honesty, positivity and enthusiasm. That’s because great franchising is all about close franchisor and franchisee relationships. We work as a team because our success is your success. That’s why we’re keen to share a wealth of valuable tips and strategies from our nationwide network of franchisees to help you on your way.

OSCAR Franchisee, Richard Hebden, found security in OSCAR when planning his future, “… my enthusiasm, shared with fellow franchisees, helps me to grow my business quicker, with better ways to achieve results. The products are easy to talk about and by supporting a local pet rescue charity I have found yet another avenue that produces follow ups.”