Europe Pet Care Market Outlook, 2029

A large share of the European population owns pets and considers them their best friends and beloved members of the family. The number of households owning at least one pet animal has increased, and consumers are spending more and more on their pets, thus boosting the turnover of the pet food products industry. With the increase in the adoption rate and humanization of pets, the industry continues to see an increment in the pet care market. About 80 million households in Europe own at least one pet, which has given rise to the demand for pet care products and services. Even as the per-household expenditure in Europe remains low as compared to other developed countries, pet parents are willing to buy premium products for their pets. Pet food is considered a premium product in the pet care industry, whose production is very high in the countries of Europe. As a basic requirement for pets, owners are willing to pay a premium for high-quality, nutritious food. The European pet care sector witnessed a flurry of mergers and acquisitions in 2020 as Nestle acquired Lily's Kitchen in 2020 and, in October 2020, Spectrum Brands acquired pet treat and pet toy manufacturer, Armitage Pet Care. Companies offering niche products have become potential acquisition targets as European pet parents continue to opt for more natural pet foods that are gluten-free and GMO-free and offer increased health benefits, like dog foods with Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids for healthy skin and probiotics in dry formula to help maintain digestive health. Pet food companies offering pet food with glucosamine for healthy joints and strong bones, and proteins, vitamins, and minerals for complete and balanced nutrition of dogs and cats, saw higher growth in the region.

According to the research report, "Europe Pet Care Market Outlook, 2029," published by Bonafide Research, the Europe Pet Care market is anticipated to add to more than USD 20.06 Billion by 2024–29. The pet care market in Europe is being viewed as one of the most prominent markets globally. Thus, it seems that the market will achieve a considerable height in the next few years. The primary economies of the European continent are Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. Hence, the markets of these countries contribute decisively to the overall market formation. The region generates the highest revenue from the pet food segment. The major pet food products demanded in the European market currently are grain-free, organic, and natural food products. The region's pet food growth has been highly supported by dry pet food and snacks & treats. Europeans are not only adopting more pets but also seeking nutritionally dense premium pet foods with functional properties. All these factors are driving pet food consumption in the European region. While the demand for pet food has been stagnant in most EU countries, the pet food market in the Eastern European region is undeveloped. The consumption of commercial pet food has been growing steadily in Eastern Europe, which is driving the European pet food market.

Apart from the highly dominated pet food products, services for pets, including mobile grooming services, are gaining consumer attraction. Europe's pet health care services for pets are the second biggest market globally. It is one of the prime regions in the world with a world-class facility. Moreover, countries such as Italy and France have classic medical facilities in world comparison. Pet accessories have become a rapidly growing market, where pet bedding and housing products are popular in developed regions of Europe. This has led the manufacturers to come up with new innovative products to help pet owners adopt a convenient pet lifestyle for their pets. Among the products in this pet service segment, pet grooming has registered the fastest growth, which has grown with a CAGR of above 5% historically. The pet grooming market is expanding swiftly with the convenience of the mobile grooming facility. In Europe, it is cheaper, more efficient, and saves time as compared to grooming salons, which is likely to drive the pet grooming market over the forecast period.

Further, growing demand for protein in animal food across Europe will positively impact the market growth. Proteins are required in the diets of all pets, including dogs and cats. That is leading pet parents to prefer pet food integrated with proteins. The European region has set strict rules governing the use of ingredients to ensure the quality and safety of pet food products. In addition, the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) members are engaged in manufacturing products with the FEDIAF (European Pet Food Federation) following Nutritional Guidelines for Cats and Dogs that include protein. Therefore, the supply of protein-integrated pet food is significantly increasing, contributing to the rising demand for pet food products in the region.

Europe witnessed the highest number of product launches in the dog and cat food category across the globe, with over 102 dog and cat food brands launched during 2020 and 2021. Nestle Purina launched a new cat food, "Pro Plan Live Clear," in the United Kingdom with the claim of being the first cat food to reduce allergens in a cat's hair and dander. The product naturalises allergens in cat saliva, meaning fewer are transferred to the animal's hair and dander when it grooms. Market leader Mars continued to launch new products in the region and in the year 2021, Mars launched a new dog food called "Cesar Natural Goodness" under its Cesar brand with 100% natural ingredients. The dog and cat food category also witnessed tens of new launches from small players such as Vitakraft, Animonda Petcare, Petco, Butcher's Petcare Ltd., etc.



COVID-19 Impacts:
European pet parents increasingly favoured online shopping for pet products during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The trend of shifting from traditional stores to e-retailers was already emerging. However, it witnessed a significant boost during the pandemic. Although the year 2020 was not found to be very promising for all the other industries, in the case of the pet care market, it was a boon, as due to repeated lockdowns, people stayed mostly at home and took good care of their pets. This stimulated the demand for pet services and products and encouraged significant growth in the pet care market.

Major companies present in the market
Nestle SA, Mars Incorporated , Colgate-Palmolive , Blue-Buffalo , United Pet Group, a Spectrum Brands Company, PLB International , Unicharm Corporation, Laroy Group, Deuerer GmbH , Heristo AG , Well Pet, De Haan Pet Food

Considered in this report
• Geography: Europe
• Historic year: 2018
• Base year: 2023
• Estimated year: 2024
• Forecast year: 2029

Aspects covered in this report
• Europe pet care market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Country-wise pet care market analysis
• Various divers and challenges
• Ongoing trends and developments
• Five force models
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

Countries covered in the report
• UK
•France
•Italy
•Germany

Segment covered in the report
• Pet foods
• Pet healthcare
• Pet accessories
• Pet grooming

By Pet Type in the report
•Dog Food
•Cat Food
•Fish Food
•Bird Food
•Others

By Food Type in the report
•Dry Food
•Wet or Canned
•Snacks and treats
•others

The approach of the report:
This report consists of a combined approach of primary as well as secondary research. Initially, secondary research was used to get an understanding of the market and listing out the companies that are present in the market. The secondary research consists of third party sources such as press releases, annual report of companies, analyzing the government generated reports and databases. After gathering, the data from secondary sources primary research was conducted by making telephonic interviews with the leading players about how the market is functioning and then conducted trade calls with dealers and distributors of the market. Post this we have started doing primary calls to consumers by equally segmenting consumers in regional aspects, tier aspects, age group, and gender. Once we have primary data with us we have started, verifying the details obtained from secondary sources.

Intended audience
This report can be useful to Industry consultants, manufacturers, suppliers, associations & organizations related to pet care products industry, government bodies, and other stakeholders to align their market-centric strategies. In addition to marketing & presentations, it will also increase competitive knowledge about the industry.