Positive trend

The German pet supplies sector has kept sales at the level of previous years and continued to develop positively. In 2014 it recorded overall sales of € 4.023 bn in pet stores and supermarkets, an increase of 2.9 per cent. Online sales added € 420 mio to this figure, according to the IVH and ZZF. Sales of pet convenience food in pet stores and supermarkets surpassed the figures for 2013 by 3.1 per cent at € 3.067 bn. In the pet requisites and accessories segment, sales grew by 2.2 per cent to € 956 mio. 

The market for dog food continued to grow in 2014, with high street sales rising by 5.1 per cent to € 1.265 bn. The treat segment made the most striking progress, with sales growing by 5.8 per cent to € 453 mio. Wet food sales rose by 5.4 per cent to € 390 mio, while dry food sales improved by 3.9 per cent compared with 2013 to € 422 mio. "This year's figures reflect in particular the continued demand for treats with added functional benefits and for reward items," said Georg Müller, president of the IVH.   

Compared with 2013, the cat food market improved by 2 per cent, with sales of € 1.569 bn in pet stores and supermarkets. As in previous years, the treat segment was the growth driver with a sales increase of 4.8 per cent to € 238 mio. While sales in the wet food segment grew by 2.6 per cent to € 1.032 bn in 2014, the dry food segment experienced a slight decline (€ 299 mio, down by 2 per cent). "We believe that the growth in moist food is due among other things to the growing trend among cat owners to opt for single-serve portion sizes," pointed out Norbert Holthenrich, president of the German Pet Trade & Industry Association. 

The small animal food segment comes third once more after dog and cat food, recording sales growth of 0.8 per cent to € 125 mio in the classic distribution channels in 2014.
The market for food for ornamental fish succeeded in maintaining the upward trend of 2013. Sales of fish food in high street outlets grew by 1.6 per cent to € 62 mio. By contrast, sales of food for caged birds fell by 2.1 per cent to € 46 mio compared with 2013. 

The market for pet requisites and accessories grew by 2.2 per cent in 2014, attaining overall sales of € 956 mio. As in previous years, cat litter was the dominant product. The segment grew by 4.7 per cent in 2014, yielding sales…