Best dog food UK 2026: 9 foods compared on cost per day for a 20 kg dog

How much does dog food cost per day in the UK?

For a 20 kg adult dog, the seven complete dry foods with a published amount among the nine we compared cost from £0.57 to £1.54 a day, or roughly £17 to £47 a month, from single-bag prices checked on 21 October 2026. Harringtons Rich in Lamb & Rice is the lowest single figure at £0.83 a day; Burns Original is £1.01 at its standard 14 g per kg. Bigger packs and repeat orders cut the cost a little: zooplus's 2 × 12 kg Burns pack brings it to £1.00 a day, and Pets at Home's Easy Repeat price takes Wainwright's to £0.51–£0.88. Our dog food cost guide sets these out per month and by dog size, and the pet cost calculator adds food to vet care and other running costs.

Is wet or dry dog food better?

Neither is better for every dog: both can be labelled complete, which means they can be fed on their own. The difference that shows up in our figures is cost. Wet food is mostly water, so a dog needs much more of it: Lily's Kitchen's tins work out at from about £5.23 a day for a 20 kg dog, against £0.57 to £1.54 for complete dry food. Many owners mix the two. Our Lily's Kitchen review works through wet-food costs in more detail.

Is grain-free dog food safe?

Grain-free foods swap grains for potato, peas or lentils. The US Food and Drug Administration looked into reports of dilated cardiomyopathy (a heart disease) in dogs on some grain-free, pulse-heavy diets. Its latest update, dated 23 December 2022, did not establish that the diets caused it, described the issue as complex and possibly involving several factors, and said it would update again only with meaningful new science (FDA investigation page, checked 21 October 2026). Arden Grange Sensitive and Millies Wolfheart Countryside Mix are the grain-free foods in our table. Unless your vet advises a grain-free diet, there is no need to avoid grains.

What does hypoallergenic dog food mean?

“Hypoallergenic” is a marketing term, not a guarantee: brands use it for recipes that avoid common triggers or use one main meat. James Wellbeloved labels its turkey and rice recipe hypoallergenic, but it also contains fish oil, so read the whole ingredient list. For suspected food allergy, vets use hydrolysed veterinary diets for a set trial. Our sensitive stomach comparison covers both, with their cost per day.

Which dog food helps with weight loss?

Portion size matters more than the brand. Lower-calorie “light” foods let a dog eat a fuller bowl for fewer calories: our dog food for weight loss comparison lists six of them with calories and cost per day. Agree a target weight with your vet, then use the portion calculator at that weight.

Other guides by life stage and need

Puppies and older dogs need foods made for their life stage: see our guides to puppy food, large-breed puppy food and senior dog food. For stiff older dogs, read do joint supplements work for dogs? Food is the biggest regular bill in our cost of owning a dog guide. Fresh and personalised food is compared in our dog food subscriptions comparison, and our zooplus review covers the retailer most of these prices come from.

Reading UK dog food labels

Complete or complementary

UK Pet Food's labelling factsheet explains that “complete” is a legal term: the food contains all the nutrients a pet needs when fed as directed. A complementary food, such as many treats, toppers and mixer biscuits, needs other food added to give a balanced diet (UK Pet Food factsheet).

Meat content

Labels must state the percentage of an ingredient the label draws attention to, such as “with chicken”. That figure is the minimum guaranteed. “Fresh” and “dried” meat percentages are not directly comparable, because fresh meat is mostly water. Our guide to choosing dog food goes through a full label.

Feeding guides

Every food in our table publishes a feeding guide by weight, except where noted. The guide is a starting point: weigh portions and adjust to keep your dog at a healthy body condition.