Pet market in Europe - statistics & facts
A large share of the European population owns pets and considers them as their best friends and beloved members of the family. The number of households owning at least one pet animal has increased and consumers are spending more and more on their pets, thus boosting the turnover of the pet food products industry. Europe and North America were the leading regions in the production of pet food globally, with each producing over 10 million metric tons of pet food in 2021.
As of 2021, an estimated 1.06 million people were employed directly or indirectly in the pet food industry in Europe.
Pet industry segments
The pet industry comprises of two major product categories: pet food and pet accessories and/or supplies. Although the pet food industry represents a large share of animal-related household expenditures, growth in the value of pet products and services has also witnessed such a trend. Several countries in Europe have a large number of feed and pet food companies. Two of the leading pet food companies in Europe are German: Deuerer and Heristo AG, with approximately 750 million U.S. dollars and 700 million U.S. dollars in annual revenues in the pet food segment, respectively. The top pet food company in 2021 was Belgian United Petfood Producers with annual revenue of around 800 million U.S. dollars.Cats and dogs
The vast majority of European households are especially attached to cats and dogs. One of the immediate consequences of such a trend is the marked increase over the years in the value of imported cat and dog food in the EU, from merely 480 million U.S. dollars in 2011 to more than 1.5 billion U.S. dollars by 2021.As of 2021, an estimated 1.06 million people were employed directly or indirectly in the pet food industry in Europe.
