Looking to the future

2022 is not a year for cowards: flexibility and adaptability to new circumstances are more crucial than ever before. “The new normal in the pet sector” is the theme of the International Pet Conference, which takes place in Bologna on 11 and 12 October, and this normality is currently changing on a daily basis. Initially the pet sector was one of the beneficiaries of the coronavirus, because many people acquired one or even several pets during the pandemic. This greater enthusiasm for pets brought a massive boost in sales for retailers and manufacturers for two years. But now this is over – inflation has returned to large swathes of the globe, accompanied by increasing restraint on spending on the part of consumers, which has left its mark on the pet sector also. 

Concern about stagflation, thus of economic stagnation and inflation occurring simultaneously, is not the only challenge facing the pet supplies sector. Supply chains continue to experience disruption, the situation regarding raw materials is tense and unpredictable and plenty of tasks remain that have been started but are far from complete. Digitalisation and sustainability are two buzzwords that spring to mind here.

All these topics will be considered in detail in presentations and discussions at the International Pet Conference. It will be an interactive event in Bologna featuring high-calibre speakers from across the globe. The presentations by speakers are to be limited to 20 minutes to allow for more dialogue with those attending, more discussion forums and more one-to-one conversations. Plenty of networking opportunities will also arise over the two days of the conference. A particular highlight will be the evening function on the first day of the conference, which will combine culinary delights with an evening geared to fun and entertainment. Two presentations will also be made at the function. The first of these is for the winner of the first international PET worldwide Best Newcomer Award 2022. 

Five companies have been nominated from the 30-plus applicants and these will make a five-minute live pitch to the audience in Bologna. Voting to decide the winner will be based equally on the polling of PET worldwide readers, who will be able to vote online for their favourites from mid-July to September, and the votes of delegates to the International Pet Conference. A second award is for the PET worldwide Personality of the Year. This award recognises the services of a person who has worked for the good of the pet sector and its development. Previous winners of the award, which has been in existence since 2006, include Ard Malenstein, Torsten Toeller, Rolf Boffa and Pavel Bouska.