All quiet on the Western Front

The figures have been released by the French pet association Prom'Animal and indicate that last year followed the trend of previous years, in which sales growth was likewise 3 per cent. 
Veterinarians and pet product retailers were beneficiaries of the rise in sales, with veterinary clinics increasing their sales by 19 per cent compared with the previous year. Pet stores grew by 6 per cent last year, but garden centres, supermarkets and agritrade companies only saw a marginal increase of 1 per cent. DIY stores remained static. Supermarkets are still the strongest distribution channel with a market share of 47 per cent. They are followed by garden centres (15 per cent), pet stores (12 per cent), agritrade outlets (9 per cent), e-commerce (8 per cent) and veterinary clinics (7 per cent).

Which product segments and pet categories profited the most from the growth trend? It is difficult to distinguish clear winners and losers here. Along with the cat segment, a 3 per cent increase over the previous year was recorded by hobby farming, which is very important in rural areas. The dog segment and animals in the wild (wild birds, squirrels, hedgehogs etc.) recorded an increase of 2 per cent in 2016. The trend in the small animal, aquarium and reptile segments was also positive with a 1 per cent increase compared with the previous year. Sales in the cage bird segment were down by 2 per cent in 2016. At the bottom of the segment ranking is the pond category, which experienced a decline of 3 per cent in sales.

The French pet market is dominated by the dog and cat product categories, each accounting for a share of 40 per cent. The third-strongest category is aquariums, with a 6 per cent share of the French market. This is followed by the small animal and hobby farming segments with a market share of 4 per cent each. The bird segment accounts for 3 per cent, while the pond, reptile and wild animal categories are relatively insignificant.