A market with potential

Acceptance of dogs and cats as family members is growing worldwide. At the same time, pet owners are developing a high level of health awareness for the benefit of their beloved four-legged friends. Pet health insurance is on the rise, and more pet owners are opting for regular veterinary care. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated this trend, and the general trend towards personal health has had a significant impact on the pet industry.

„The markets in Central Europe have seen almost double-digit growth overall for the animal health brand groups over the past two years, which is already considerable in the wake of general non-food trends,” says Boy Tadsen, Export Manager at Trixie. According to him, however, the growth for these Trixie product groups in Southern and Eastern Europe is also significantly higher at over 25 per cent for the same period. „We don’t know the exact reasons for this, but we suspect that these product groups have become more important here later on and are therefore currently growing faster in terms of sales,” says Tadsen. Looking at the specialised trade, Trixie reports: „Dog dental care remains important, with stable to slightly increasing sales. Although cat dental care is at a much lower level, it is growing at a double-digit rate every year.“

The range of health products available in pet shops has grown steadily in recent years and now takes up several metres of shelf space. Items for the specific health needs of animals and their owners are no longer bought exclusively from the vet, but the path to good solutions is increasingly leading to the specialist retailer.

„The fact that pets are staying indoors and close to their owners also means that more attention is being paid to the care they need,“ explains Adao Teixeira, owner of the Petoutlet/Petlandia chain of stores in Portugal. „Grooming is one of the segments with the most products. In addition, pets are living longer and longer“. he adds. This means more intensive care and new product categories such as nappies and protective pants for older dogs with incontinence problems.