Interzoo fever escalating

Interzoo is becoming increasingly international. 79 per cent of this year's exhibitors are from abroad, compared with 77 per cent in 2008. They will occupy a gross exhibition area of over 90 000 m² for the four days of the show. The top ten exhibiting countries in terms of floor space are Germany (18 200 m²), China (4 900 m²), Italy (4 500 m²), the Netherlands (2 600 m²), Great Britain (2 400 m²), the USA (2 200 m²), France (2 000 m²), Belgium (2 000 m²), Spain (1 300 m²) and Poland (1 100 m²). Foreign countries also account for the greatest increase in exhibition floor space this year, according to the Wirtschaftsgemeinschaft Zoologischer Fachbetriebe, which organises Interzoo. Hungary, Switzerland, Finland, Turkey, Austria, Thailand, Hong Kong, China and India in particular have booked bigger display areas than in previous years, while Luxembourg, Mexico, French Guiana, Croatia and Vietnam have companies exhibiting for the first time. "Two main trends" Hans-Jochen Büngener, chair-man of the Interzoo Exhibition Committee, believes the international pet market will continue to develop positively. "Even in a difficult economic climate, pet owners look for reliable product quality for their pets. Manufacturers are catering for this current and growing sense of responsibility with a steadily improving and expanding product offer," stresses Hans-Jochen Büngener. At Interzoo 2010 he expects to see two main trends in the product offering: "Dependable quality at prices geared to target groups across all segments," as he puts it, and many new products in the health and fitness sphere. With regard to pet food, he sees a trend towards more products in the food supplement category and also towards special food that takes account of the individual needs of pets and of specific sensitivities: "Pets are exposed to strains caused by the environment and exaggerated hygiene in the same way as people. The latest pet food is not only animal-friendly, therefore, but also based as closely as possible on the animal"s natural nutrition." 43 per cent of this year"s exhibitors are showing products for dogs and cats. The second largest category is aquatics with 20 per cent. 19 per cent of suppliers are presenting products for small animals and rodents, while 15 per cent will exhibit products for cage birds. 12 per cent of the companies exhibiting will show products for animals in the garden and terrarium requisites. Other groups of suppliers include those offering supplementary…