Strong global performance

As in other segments, the cat litter segment is experiencing a trend towards natural products and products derived from environmentally friendly production. The German company JRS, which was quick to spot this trend and build on it with its house brand ?Cat?s Best Öko plus?, is leading the way. Manufacturers of bentonite products are now emphasising that their end products meet the requirements for a natural product ? and it is true that more bentonite cat litters are now marketed that do without perfume or added baby powder. Why not indeed? Cats themselves need the smell of fresh earth or other minerals to feel good. But every trend generates a counter-trend, and so many manufacturers and speciality retailers are saying that synthetic silica products are once again enjoying growing popularity. Another reason for the revival in the popularity of silica products is their convenience for users, because they only have to change the litter once a month. The trend in figures The latest research from Euromonitor International reveals that global retail sales of cat litter exceeded € 2.4 billion in 2007, with North America accounting for more than a 50 per cent value share, followed by Europe (37 per cent) and Asia-Pacific (7 per cent). Sales of cat litter have increased steadily, reaching almost € 1.3 billion. Strong growth in this region was underpinned by a plethora of new product innovations including natural cat litter varieties, which are gaining in popularity particularly in the US, as consumers increasingly want cat litter that effectively eliminates odour but does not adversely affect their cats' health through the use of chemicals or perfumes. The most popular products are usually made from a combination of wheat, alfalfa, oat hulls, corncob, peanut hulls and recycled paper. Despite its relative maturity, cat litter in North America still has room for further growth and improvement. With the number of single-person households continuing to rise, there is growing demand for products that are better suited to small living spaces and that offer more efficient and natural-smelling odour eliminators. As manufacturers introduce more of these types of products, growth in cat litter is likely to occur. This growth will also be fuelled by an expected increase in the cat population and the growing number of multi-cat households. On the back of these trends, cat litter in North America is expected to grow in value by 11 per cent to reach € 1.4 billion by the end…