A golden age in Prague

Good times in the Czech Republic: the country's economy grew by nearly 4 per cent in 2015, the unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the EU and the mood among consumers is upbeat. The optimism evident in the country is manifesting itself in growing consumer spending.
The Czechs are also spending more on their pets, and quality products are in demand, especially premium pet food. As in most of the western industrialised nations, dogs and cats are the growth drivers in the Czech pet supplies business. 

The number of dogs in the Czech Republic is estimated at 2.1 million, meaning that there are twice as many dogs as cats. This difference in the population figures is reflected in sales of dog and cat food too. The market research company Euromonitor International estimates that sales of dog food in 2015 were worth around € 182 mio. Of this figure, dry food accounted for € 104 mio, wet food for € 52 mio and treats and mixer products for € 26 mio. Experts believe that the dog food market will grow further in the next few years. There is still plenty of scope in the country for the development of international product trends such as barfing or grain-free pet food, and the latest market data shows that there is still considerable growth potential even for treat products. In most western industrialised countries, reward products account for a higher percentage of overall sales of dog food; in neighbouring Germany, treat products even bring in more revenue than dry or moist food. Food supplements that offer added health benefits in particular could generate additional sales in the Czech Republic in the next few years. This also applies to the feline product segment. According to Euromonitor International, cat treats "only" accounted for € 1.65 mio in 2015. When it comes to cats, moist products perform best and generated € 49.3 mio in sales last year. Dry food brought in sales of € 30.2 mio. 
Compared with the best-selling dog and cat segments, other product categories play only a modest role, as indicated by the population figures. The number of small animals kept in the Czech Republic is put at 165 000 and cage birds number just 69 000. In contrast to the bird segment, which is stagnating or even in decline, however, the market for small animal products is growing in importance. The aquatics segment, on the other hand, is making very little progress, while reptiles are a niche category.