Market Trends of europe pet diet Industry
Cats are the major companion animals adopted in Europe due to their adaptability to small spaces and because they are regarded as a symbol of good luck
- In Europe, cats are the major pets adopted by pet parents; they accounted for 36.4% of the total pet population in 2022. The high adoption of cats is mainly due to their adaptability to smaller living spaces; they can be kept indoors without feeling cooped up. Also, in some European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia, cats are considered to be symbols of good luck or fortune.
- Owning pets creates a sense of companionship, affection, and protection, developing unique bonds between the owners and their pets. In 2021, 90 million households in the European Union had pets, which represented 46% of the total number of households. Also, the European cat population has been steadily increasing over the years, increasing by 14.9% from 2017 to 2022. The higher adoption of cats as pets after the COVID-19 pandemic is mainly attributed to the increase in pet humanization stimulated by loneliness and remote work. From 2020 to 2022, the cat population increased by 7.1%.
- In Europe, Russia consists of a large cat population, which accounted for 19.6% of the total population in the region, followed by Germany (14.8%), France (13.2%), and the United Kingdom (11.1%). There is a cultural affinity for cats in Russia, with many Russian literary works featuring cats as important characters. Cats are considered as a sign of good luck in Russian folklore. European shorthair, Chartreux, Russian Blue, and Siberian are among the major cat breeds adopted in Russia and Europe in general.
- The adoption of harmonized rules for traveling with pets, growing online sales of cat products, relatively lower maintenance, and urban living are some of the major factors expected to drive the cat population, boosting the market’s growth in the region.
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The growing premiumization, increasing pet humanization, and rising disposable incomes are driving pet expenditure in Europe
- Pet expenditure in Europe increased during the study period because of increased spending on different types of food and the growing trend of premiumization, with pet parents becoming more concerned about the health needs of their pets. These factors boosted the pet expenditure per animal by 25% between 2017 and 2022. In 2022, dogs held the largest share, accounting for 37.8%, as dogs are fed specialized pet food and have a higher consumption of pet food than cats. For instance, in the United Kingdom, people's average pet food expense was USD 330 in 2022, which was more than a cat's food expense of USD 150. Dogs are also provided with services such as pet grooming and training for socialization with other dogs.
- Pet parents provide premium products to their pets, such as cats and dogs. Pet parents prefer to feed their pets food from brands such as Royal Canin, Purina, and Whiskas because of the growing pet humanization and an increase in disposable income. There is also a rise in purchases from the medium-priced segment of pet food due to improvements in the pet food nutrition offered by these medium-priced products.
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an increase in the sales of pet food through online channels, as the majority of supermarkets had fewer product offerings due to the lockdowns. Also, e-commerce websites have a higher number of products available. It helped Amazon to be a leader in pet food sales in the United Kingdom, with the website receiving more than 579 million visits annually since the pandemic. The higher consumption of premium pet food and growing awareness about the benefits of healthy, nutritious pet food helped increase pet expenditure in the region.
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OTHER KEY INDUSTRY TRENDS COVERED IN THE REPORT
- The growing dog-friendly ecosystem in the region is driving the adoption of dogs from animal shelters and rescue organizations
- The changing preferences of pet owners regarding pets have resulted in them owning a wide variety of animals, driving the other pet animal population
