Solid growth in Norway

When it comes to lifestyle, Norwegians may be somewhat different to continental Europeans. The same goes for their pets. Most Norwegians live in freestanding houses. They love the outdoors, despite the cold climate. And usually they bring their four-legged companions along. Norwegians generally prefer larger dog breeds, therefore. With a strong hunting tradition in which thousands participate each autumn, there are also far more hunting dogs here than in Europe in general. There are an estimated 600 000 cats and 400 000 dogs in Norway. This figure has been relatively constant for many years, but the pet food trade has increased sales recently. Although most Norwegians have larger breeds of dogs and free-roaming cats, there is a slow shift towards the smaller purebreds, especially in the cities. In cities like Oslo, the demand for miniature and medium dogs is so great that many people buy dogs from neighbouring Sweden. Dry pet foods are taking over from tinned foods and table scraps, but the market is becoming more segmented. Both pet shops and veterinary clinics are playing a much more important role in the food trade than previously, but brands sold solely in supermarkets are also on the rise. "The sale of dog and cat food is becoming increasingly important for pet shops.Veterinarian and owner of Smådyrsykehuset Gjøvik, Tore Berg.Pet owners quickly see the result of shifting to quality foods, with less waste, more energy and a shinier coat. The visible improvement speaks for itself," says Tor Jan Sandvold, the head of the Norwegian Pet Retail Association (NZB). Close to half of all sales in pet shops are now food and related products for cats and dogs, and it is important for the shops to offer a wide variety of foods on their shelves. But as in Europe in general, many customers are becoming more price sensitive and competition is fierce, even at the cheaper end of the market.Dennis Patrickson (left) of Iams Europe and Morten Baastad, Premium Pet Products Norway.Private labels and premium brandsIt is only recently that heavy discounters and hypermarkets have entered Norway. The supermarkets have so far been major soft discount chains with a limited selection of any item, including pet products. Budget pet foods are also sold with great success by farmers' cooperative stores, under their own private label. The average Norwegian consumer has a higher disposable income than ever, which is also one of the highest in Europe. Nevertheless, the average pet owner…