Italian pet food market exceeds 2 bn euros

In 2020, the Italian pet food market grew both in terms of value (+4.2 per cent compared with 2019) and volume (+2 per cent), achieving an overall turnover of more than 2 bn euros. Italian households are home to more than 60 mio pets, including cats, dogs, small animals, birds, fish and reptiles. These are the initial findings of the 14th edition of the Assalco - Zoomark report, compiled by Assalco, the National Association for Pet Food and Pet Care Businesses, which will be presented at Zoomark International (10-12 November).
Cat food and dog food continue to be the most significant categories in the Italian pet food market. In 2020, IRI found that sales in the main distribution channels - grocery, traditional pet shops and pet shop chains - brought in 2.257 bn euros for a total of 626 600 tons of pet food sold, therefore registering respective increases of 4.2 per cent and 2 per cent on 2019.
Cat food represents 53.2 per cent of the total value of the market in grocery, traditional pet shops and pet shop chains, equivalent to just over 1.2 bn euros (+5.9 per cent compared with 2019). Dog food accounts for the remaining 46.8 per cent of the market with a value of around 1.057 bn euros (+2.3 per cent compared with 2019).
The market for pet food for small animals in 2020 saw revenues of a little over 12 mio euros in hypermarkets, supermarkets and minimarts. Products for birds and rodents dominate the market: food for ornamental birds makes up 42.1 per cent of the market value and 50.5 per cent of volume, while food for rodents accounts for 30 per cent of the value and 38.9 per cent of the volume.
Data from IRI also shows growth in the category of accessories for day-to-day pet care. In 2020, this market recorded a value equal to 72.8 mio euros in the grocery retail channel and a 2.3 per cent increase in value and 6.7 per cent in volume compared with 2019. The hygiene product segment confirms its importance with a value of almost 33 mio euros, up by 14.7 per cent compared with the previous year. The segment for pet toys was worth 6 mio euros (+1.7 per cent compared with 2019). Cat litter trays recorded sales in the grocery retail channel of more than 76 mio euros in 2020, an increase in value of 3.1 per cent compared with the previous year.