Modest upturn in the market

The sales growth achieved by the Italian dog and cat food market in 2014 surpassed the increase in the previous year, which was slightly less at 1.9 per cent. The overall volume of sales in the dog and cat food market was € 1.83 bn. Cat food accounted for 54 per cent of this (€ 992 mio) and dog food for 46 per cent (€ 838 mio). ASSALCO attributes the 1.2 per cent decline in tonnage compared with 2013 to the changed preferences of pet owners. It puts it down in particular to the trend towards small and medium-sized dog breeds, which eat less, and to the increase in demand for single-serve portions instead of medium-sized formats. Treats spearhead growth Apart from this change, everything is as it was. Pet owners are becoming increasingly aware of the needs of their four-legged friends: sales of premium and super-premium products are growing, and highly functional food products are also in the ascendancy. Treats have spearheaded the growth in sales in Italy, especially those that promote oral hygiene. According to information from ASSALCO, pet store chains increased their sales of cat treats by 17.5 per cent and of dog treats by 24.6 per cent in 2014. Sales of foods for other pets declined by 5.9 per cent in 2014 to a volume of € 18 mio. However, as the sales figures available relate only to sales by supermarkets and hypermarkets, they are less meaningful, as these products are sold chiefly in pet shops.
Sales of accessories and care products increased by 3.9 per cent compared with 2013 to € 66 mio, and hygiene products such as shampoo, brushes and functional treats enjoyed double-digit growth. The figures available for this segment too relate only to supermarkets. 53.2 per cent of the sales transacted in supermarkets and in traditional pet shops took place in northern Italy, especially in the north-west of the country. The central regions and Sardinia accounted for 28.6 per cent, followed by the north-east (20.5 per cent) and southern Italy (18.2 per cent).

Chains growing in popularity Broken down according to distribution channels, the grocery trade accounts for a volume of sales of € 1 bn in dog food and cat food. Last year the supermarkets and hypermarkets achieved sales growth of 1.3 per cent. Business was brisker for proprietor-run pet shops, with…