Trends stay the same

Grain-free dog food, special foods for small dog breeds, interactive toys for pets, LED lighting units for aquariums: all these trends played a big part in last year's leading fair Interzoo. It was clear from the recent Zoomark International show in Bologna, where the same trends were in evidence across the four exhibition halls, that these were not just a passing phase. As in Nuremberg, a marked preponderance of the cat and dog product segments was apparent at the Italian show. The main products of interest did not differ greatly from those at Nuremberg. Natural and organic pet food was in demand, along with exclusive care products, and "intelligent" toys featured on many stands, often in combination with accessories and treats. In contrast to the last Zoomark two years ago, on the other hand, luxury accessories for boutique outlets were no longer as strongly represented. This may be due to consumer demand for these products having been affected by the difficult economic situation in southern Europe. This product group was not as prominent at Interzoo as two years previously either, when it was experiencing a global boom, and so the downward trend continued in Bologna.

The aquatics segment was very poorly represented in Bologna this year. The major players were either absent altogether or were present on a very small scale on the stands of their wholesalers and distributors. Exceptions to this included Amtra Croci and Aquatlantis. Of the leading fish food suppliers, only JBL was represented on the stand of its distributor Zolux. Rolf C. Hagen had three stands at the show, on which the company presented exclusively its new brands "Vesper" (cat furniture), "Bomber" and "Nerf Dog" (dog toys) and "Smart Bones" (treats) along with "Cat it". The company omitted its aquatics and reptile products from its fair presentation, however.

Attracting over 600 exhibitors, 65 per cent of whom came from abroad, the show confirmed its reputation as the most important European trade fair in an Interzoo-free year. Pet product companies from the USA, China and the UK were represented in country pavilions and their own show aisles, as was Canada. Many exhibitors from Germany, Spain and France once again had their own…