I've done two of those shops, one with a dog, one with a cat. One carried the targeted product; the other didn't. But some shops target a completely different brand of product. I don't think anyone can generalize that these shops are identical everywhere, or speculate about who the client is or what they are trying to find out.
Furthermore, anyone who has done one of these shops (as I have) had to agree to an additional confidentiality agreement not to disclose to anyone what the shops were about (specifically the brands being inquired about, and the fact that these inquiries are being made at all).
It's not our job to figure out what use will be made of the information. These shops could be gathering data for the manufacturer, the government, an industry magazine article, a veterinary association study, a college doctoral thesis, an ad agency, a competitor's study, a lawsuit, a chain of pharmacies or pet supply stores -- I can think of all sorts of ways the information might be used.
Who cares? What matters to me is I got my dog's swelling looked at without having to pay the vet bill. If you need to go to the vet, take one of these shops. If you don't need to go to the vet, take a shop that doesn't require the appointment. It's the only shop I've seen where you can decide WHO you want to shop! Enjoy it while it lasts! But don't analyze it to death, it's not that complicated a shop.
:
:
==============================================================
I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.