Market back on track

Following a slight decline in 2011, the German pet supplies market got back on track again and increased its overall sales by 2.2 per cent to € 3.867 bn in 2012. The market for pet convenience food surpassed the results in 2011 even more markedly, growing by 2.5 per cent to € 2.939 bn. These details emerge from market data released by the Industrieverband Heimtierbedarf (IVH - Pet Care Industry Association) and the Zentralverband Zoologischer Fachbetriebe (ZZF - Central Association for Pet Supplies Businesses). The market for other pet supplies and accessories recorded overall sales of € 928 mio in 2012 and thus likewise achieved an increase of 1.3 per cent compared with the previous year.Market for dog and cat food growingThe market for cat food continued to grow in 2012 and sales increased by 3.4 per cent compared with the previous year to € 1.537 bn. The treat segment proved to be a growth driver once again. It achieved the best result, growing by 8.1 per cent to € 213 mio and once again surpassing the good result of the previous year. The moist food segment recorded an increase in sales to € 1.009 bn, up by 3.9 per cent. Only the dry food segment suffered a further decline of 0.9 per cent to € 315 mio. "The positive trend can be explained primarily by the increase in demand for rather more expensive single-serve products," said ZZF president Norbert Holthenrich. "In the cat category, sales of products that promise added benefits in particular are currently developing well in the pet supplies trade."Overall sales of dog food reached € 1.176 bn in 2012. Growth was higher than in previous years, with an increase in sales of 2.6 per cent. Here, too, the treat segment fared especially well, with sales growing by 7 per cent to € 399 mio. The moist food segment also grew in 2012 by 0.3 per cent to € 363 mio. The dry food segment recorded growth again too for the first time in many years, growing by 0.7 per cent to € 414 mio. In spite of declining by 1.7 per cent to € 119 mio in 2012, the small animal food segment remains the third-largest pet food segment after cat and dog food.Sales of food for ornamental fish could not sustain the growth experienced in 2011, and a marked drop in sales of 6.3 per cent to € 60 mio was recorded in 2012. The sales volume of food for aquarium and pond fish fell back to 2010 levels. Sales of food for cage birds also declined in 2012 to € 47 mio, a fall of 4.1 per cent compared with 2011. This is the second setback in a row for…