"Diversity makes this businesss so interesting"

PET in Europe: In many countries large supermarket chains predominate in the retail trade. What are the prospects in your view for the speciality pet trade to prevail in the market with Bayer products in the countries that you operate in?
Wolfgang Trebels: It's true that in many countries the supermarkets play a certain role in the food, health and hygiene segment for pets. In some countries, however, and not only in Europe, there is a trend in the opposite direction towards competent professional advice. In the segment covering products for the prevention, control and abatement of parasites in particular, pet owners often seem to have unsatisfactory experience of non-prescription products. Supermarket chains normally sell such products without the provision of any specialist advice, with the result that it is not always the optimum product that is sold and used. Furthermore, the products that are sold are used incorrectly or improperly and the expected effect is not obtained. Competent specialist advice in pet product stores and especially in veterinary surgeries and confidence in the products distributed through these channels seem to be having an increasing influence on the buying decisions taken by pet owners.
PET in Europe: What strategy have you adopted regarding international expansion?
Wolfgang Trebels: In most European countries legal regulations dictate that our new innovative products must be sold on prescription or in the pharmacy and may not therefore be sold in speciality stores. This is why our global strategic priorities undoubtedly lie in the veterinarian channel. However, we have a considerable interest in supplying a high quality product range to the speciality pet trade, which is run in an increasingly professional and consultancy-oriented manner. Made-to-measure products developed specially for this sales channel from the parasiticide, food and food supplement segments along with hygiene and grooming products complement our operations in many countries and are part of our core activities there.
PET in Europe: Do you detect any particularly striking differences in respect of consumer habits and different pet preferences in the markets in which you operate?
Wolfgang Trebels: Time and again we are amazed and interested to learn just how different consumer habits are in the various markets. Whereas insecticide collars for dogs and cats continue to enjoy great popularity in markets such as Spain and Italy, for example, consumers in Germany and…