The pet food market - France (2025)

1.2 A global market set for sustained growth over the next few years

The global market

In ****, the global pet food market is valued at $*** .** billion by Mordor Intelligence. It is expected to grow at a CAGR of +*.**% over the period ****-****, approaching $*** billion in ****.

Using Mordor Intelligence's estimates, we have the following forecasts for the coming years:

Global pet food market World, ****-****, in billions of dollars Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the global pet food market is set for sustained growth. The market is expected to gain nearly $*** billion in five years, testifying to its dynamism and potential for innovation. The pet food market is dynamic, driven not only by thegrowing pet population, but also by the increasing humanization of pets by their owners, and the premiumization of their care and services.

Pet populations World, ****, in millions Source: ****

In ****, the United States will dominate the pet population, with **.* million dogs and **.* million cats, reflecting its major role in this market. China follows with **.* million dogs and **.* million cats, underlining high growth potential, particularly for felines. Other countries, such as Russia and Germany, have large but more modest populations.

This distribution illustrates cultural variations in pet ownership, directly influencing demand for pet products.Note that in ****, North America emerged as the leading regional market within ...

1.3 A French market that is growing in terms of value but will decline slightly in terms of volume by 2023

Sales trends in the petfood and petcare market France, ****-****, € billion Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the French petfood and petcare market grew steadily from €*.** billion to €*.* billion. This growth, marked by a gain of *.** billion euros in six years, reflects a steady rise in spending on pets. Petfood encompasses pet food, while petcare includes products and services related to pet care, such as accessories, hygiene products and veterinary services, highlighting a diversification of pet owners' needs and expectations.

Focus on petfood: the French petfood market is following the global trend, with growing sales in value terms.

Breakdown of pet food sales France, ****, € billion Source : LSA In ****, the French petfood market will reach nearly €* billion, marking a significant **% increase on ****. This growth in value contrasts with a *.*% fall in volume, reflecting a move upmarket in products and a rise in prices, probably linked to inflation and increased demand for premium foods. This dynamic reflects changing consumer habits and a greater emphasis on animal welfare. [***] The French pet food market is largely dominated by products for cats, which generate *.** billion euros, more than double the figure for dogs (***). Food for other animals is less important, with sales of *.** billion euros. This breakdown highlights a ...

1.4 Dynamic foreign trade with a large surplus

Foreign trade in animal feed France, ****-****, in billions of euros and percentage Source: ****

For the animal feed category, including pet food, France exported *.*** billion euros and imported *.*** billion euros in ****.

Since ****, French imports have been rising steadily, from *** million euros to *.*** billion euros, while exports have also increased, from *.*** billion euros to *.*** billion euros. However, import growth was faster, leading to a deterioration in the coverage rate, which fell from ***% in **** to ***% in ****.

Despite this decline, France continues to enjoy a large surplus on this market, thanks to the dynamism of its exports, which continue to grow every year.

Main feed importing countries France, ****, in percent Source: ****

French exports are relatively diversified, with the majority going to Spain (***).

Main countries of origin of animal feed imports France, ****, in percent Source: ****

French imports are much more concentrated, with **.*%coming from the Netherlands, **.*% from Belgium and **.*% from Belgium. These three countries thus account for **.*% of French imports.

1.5 The impact of Covid-19 on the sector

Covid-** has had a positive impact on the pet food market. There was a peak in March ****, when manufacturers' sales were **.*% higher than in March ****. This then remained well ahead of the previous year, although the gap narrowed as the French became more accustomed to confinement.

The March peak can be explained by precautionary stockpiling. Frightened by the prospect of strict confinement and the impossibility of making these purchases for their animals, consumers bought much more feed for their pets. However, even after this peak, sales were still higher than the previous year, and the anticipatory spending of the French did not subsequently reduce their consumption and pampered their companions during the health crisis.

Change in the sales index for animal feed manufacturing France, ****-****, index base *** **** Source: ****

Pet food stores remained open throughout the containment period, whether in supermarkets, specialty stores or garden centers, which were only authorized to sell animal products until April *. So, like other industries in France, the sector did not suffer from the closure of its outlets.

2.1 The French, big fans of pets

The French are great fans of pets: in ****, **% of households will own at least one pet, testifying to the French people's strong attachment to their four-legged companions. Of these, **% say they have a dog and/or cat, with a breakdown of **% for dog owners and **% for cat owners [***].

the growing popularity of pets is also reflected in a significant increase in their total number: since ****, the pet population has multiplied by *.*, reaching around ** million pets in France today.

Ownership of new pets boomed in the ****s. By ****, it is estimated that there will be between * and ** million NACs (***) in France, in addition to dogs and cats.

Growth in the number of dogs and cats France, ****-****, in millions of pets Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the total number of dogs and cats in France rose from **.** to **.* million, an increase of **.*%, reflecting a clear expansion of the pet market.

Between **** and ****, the number of dogs in France rose by **.*%, from *.** to *.* million, following a period of decline between **** and ****, when it fell by **.*%. This recent growth could reflect a shift in preferences or a new dynamic in the pet market.

At the same time, the number of cats rose steadily by **%, from *.** to ...

2.2 Customer profile

There are two types of customer in this market: those who buy and those who consume.

Focus on the buyers: pet owners.

Breakdown of pet food expenditure by age group and family situation France, P* ****, % (***) Source: ****

In France, over the period January to May ****, spending on pet food is concentrated mainly among people in their sixties, who account for **.*% of purchases, followed by those in their seventies and over (***), while young people under ** and families with babies are at the lower end of the scale, accounting for *.*% and *.*% of spending respectively.

These figures reflect an over-representation of older households without young children.

Breakdown of feed expenditure by CSP France, P* ****, % (***) Source : LSAhttps://www.lsa-conso.fr/mediatheque/*/*/*/*********.pdf In ****, the majority of pet food expenditure will come from the middle socio-professional categories, accounting for **% of spending (***). Low-income categories contribute **.*%, while wealthy categories account for **.*% of expenditure. These data highlight the preponderance of middle-class households in this market, while the more modest and affluent categories show significantly lower shares, probably in line with their budget priorities and purchasing behavior. Breakdown of feed expenditure by geographic region France, P* ****, % (***) Source : LSA In France, between January and May ****, spending on animal feed is dominated by ...

2.3 Consumer habits regarding pet food

Consumption habits when it comes to pet food are evolving under the influence of the quest for convenience, nutritional quality and diversified offerings. Whether for dogs or cats, owners show a strong preference for industrial foods, while gradually adopting complementary practices such as treats, supplements or fresh meals.

Dogs' main diets France, ****, % (***) Source: ****

Main diets of cats France, ****, % of Source: FACCO In ****, industrial prepared food was the main option for feeding dogs and cats in France, accounting for **% of feeding practices for dogs and **% for cats. In comparison, home-made food and a mix of the two remain very much in the minority, with only *% and *% for dogs, and *% and *% for cats. This strong preference for industrial products underlines the changing expectations of pet owners, who prefer convenience and nutritional guarantees. This dominance of the industrial market points to continued growth in value, even in the face of falling or stagnating consumption volumes. Different types of food given by owners to their cat(***) France, ****, % (***) Source : FACCO [***] Different types of food given by owners to their dog(***) France, ****, % [Copy Source : FACCO In ****, kibbles remain the main foodstuff fed to dogs (***) in France, reflecting their practicality and value for money. Treats also play an ...

2.4 Higher spending on pet food

Breakdown of the budget French people spend on their pets France, ****, in euros Source: ****

Food is by far the biggest item on the French pet budget in ****, accounting for **% of the total.

Veterinary expenses come second with **%, while hobbies/accessories and insurance share *% each. Hygiene/aesthetics (***) bring up the rear.

This breakdown underlines the importance of essential needs such as food and healthcare, which account for **% of total expenditure, relegating more secondary expenses to a marginal share.

Average monthly expenditure on pet food France, ****, % (***) Source: IFOP very few respondents spend more than ** euros a month on pet food. The majority spend either less than ** euros per month, or between ** and ** euros per month.

On average, the French spend €** a month on pet food.

Pet food expenditure per purchaser France, ****-****, € Source: ****

Between **** and ****, average annual expenditure per buyer on animal feed in France rose significantly, from €***.* to €***.*, an increase of **%. This increase reflects a trend towards higher-quality, often more expensive products, in line with growing awareness of the nutritional needs of animals. It also reflects the impact of inflation on prices, as well as owners' growing commitment to the well-being of their pets. Pet food expenditure per purchase act France, ****-****, ...

2.5 Premiumization of pet food

The humanization of pets...

The new demand trends are driven by a common phenomenon: owners are placing ever greater importance on their pets. According to an Ipsos study, **% of dog and cat owners in **** consider their pet to be a fully-fledged member of the family. This figure rises to **% for dog owners and only **% for cat owners.

How do you regard your dog or cat? France, ****, percentage of respondents Source: ****

...which is reflected in the growing importance attached to their diet

Animals are becoming increasingly humanized, and **% of owners believe that the quality of their pet's food should be equal to their own.[***].

On the subject of your dog/cat's diet and nutrition more broadly, would you say that the food you give your pet... France, ****, in percent Source: ****

...and by premiumizing their food accordingly

Owners are more eager to please their pets, which is illustrated, for example, by an increase in sales in the treats segment, growing by +**.*% for cats and +*.*% for dogs between **** and ****. There is also stronger growth in the wet food segment compared with dry food. In particular, sales of the latter rose by +**% between **** and **** in cats.

Lastly, this trend is illustrated in the ...

3.1 A market dominated by a few major players

The dog and cat food market is dominated by two giants, Nestlé Purina Petcare and Mars Petcare, which together will account for **.*% of the market by ****. The *rd main player is private label.

Dog and cat food market share by value France, ****, in Source: ****

Each of these two giants has its own specialty: while Nestlé Purina Petcare largely dominates the cat food market,Mars Petcare is number one in the dog food sector.

Preferred cat food brands France, ****, in Source: ****

Preferred dog food brands France, ****, in Source: ****

Food for other animals forms a completely separate market from dog and cat food, with different players. The bird food segment includes brands such as Erdtmanns and Versele Laga. The latter is also positioned in the hamster and rodent food segment, as are brands such as Hamiform and Feedeez. These brands are distributed by Jardiland.

3.2 Sector value chain

By ****, the pet food sector in France will represent *,*** direct jobs and over **,*** indirect jobs. [***] Here's an overview of the pet food value chain in France:

Source: ****

3.3 Hypermarkets and supermarkets as the main distribution channels

Breakdown of value market share by distribution channel for pet food expenditure France, CAM P* **** (***) Source : LSA Hypermarkets dominate pet food spending in France, with a **.*% market share by value over the first five months of ****, closely followed by supermarkets, with **%. Specialists come third with **.*%, underlining the growing importance of specialist chains in this segment. Online generalists, although still in the minority with *.*%, are showing steady growth thanks to the boom in digital commerce. The EDMP (***) and convenience channels remain marginal, accounting for *.*% and *.*% respectively. This breakdown highlights the predominance of traditional channels, even if emerging trends, particularly online, are redefining consumer habits.

Change in market share in value by distribution channel for pet food vs. N-* France, CAM P* **** (***), in points Source: ****

Hypermarkets and online generalists recorded a significant increase in market share by value, each gaining *.* points on the previous year, confirming their strength and the growing appeal of online shopping.

EDMPs (***) posted a slight increase of *.* points, while convenience channels fell back by *.* points, indicating relative stability.

Supermarkets and specialists, on the other hand, suffered losses of *.* and *.* points respectively, reflecting an erosion of their position in the face of more competitive or innovative channels.

These trends reflect ...

3.4 A growth market, with strong fund-raising activity

Among the major new startups on the market, we note, for example, startups positioned in the personalized food segment and better adapted to the needs of each animal, such as Japhy, Pettywell, or Caats, which specializes in customized food for cats and raised * million euros in January **** from the Otium Capital fund. [***]

In the personalized, fresh meals segment, startup Pepette, created in ****, is making more and more headlines, notably with a €* million fundraising in **** from the Ambrosia fund, specialized in agri-food and food-tech, and Go Capital funds.

Finally, another segment with potential seems to be insect-based food , on which not one but two startups have recently positioned themselves, Tomojo (***). Both have successfully raised funds in ****, of * million euros and *.* million euros respectively, from SWEN Capital, BNP Paribas Développement and various business angels for Tomojo, and around twenty business angels for Réglo.

Fundraising in the pet food market France, in millions of euros Source: ****

3.5 Positive trends in French production

Animal feed manufacturing sales index France, **** - **** Source: ****

The sales index for animal feed manufacturing in France, with a base of *** in ****, shows a significant increase between **** (***), without affecting overall performance. These figures highlight the resilience and healthy state of French production, supported by innovation and growing demand.

4.1 Rising sales prices

Average price per kilo of animal feed France, ****-****, € Source: ****

The average price per kilo of animal feed in France rose steadily between **** and ****, from €*.** to €*.**, an overall increase of **%.

This increase is particularly marked between **** and **** (***).

These figures reflect the impact of inflationary pressures on the sector, as well as a probable repositioning towards higher-quality or premium products.

Pet owners' feelings on price increases France, ****, % (***) Source : IFOP For all items, the most common response is a rise in prices. This sentiment is most pronounced in food, with **% of pet owners reporting an increase, a much higher proportion than in other categories, such as veterinary expenses (***). conversely, the areas where prices are perceived as most stable include pet sitting (***) . Overall, **% of pet owners have noticed an increase in prices in at least one of their pet-related expenditure items.

4.2 The rise of the premium segment

Growth in recent years has been driven more by premiumization. In ****, the market grew by *.*% in value in supermarkets, while volumes rose by only *.*% that same year. [***]

Industry players are also highlighting the trend, since according to Simon Lesage (***) "**% of the category's growth is in valued segments: health & well-being and moments of pleasure and connection with one's pet".we can draw up the following panomara of premium brands:

4.3 Organic, natural and made-to-measure segments with potential

Natural and organic products are on the rise in the pet food market. Increasingly concerned about the health and well-being of their pets, owners are also aware of theecological impact of pet food. The number of organic and natural pet food products on offer is exploding, and this is helping to enhance the market's offering, despite the fact that sales volumes are sometimes lower in certain segments. Despite the meteoric rise of the organic food market in recent years, the organic petfood segment remains anecdotal. In ****, it will still account for just *.*% of the petfood market, compared with *.*% for all FMCG products. [***] However, many brands are trying to develop this market, accompanied by retailers such as Carrefour, which has launched its first organic snacks in **** under its own brand: Companino Naturally Bio. The term natural is not legally defined by French regulations on this market, but manufacturers are increasingly using it to present products without additives, colorants or artificial flavoring, for example. Examples of natural or organic offerings include: The **** launch of Purina Beyond, with its AB label; The entry into French supermarkets of the Dutch Yarrah group (***) under the Dano brand, also AB-labeled; The Ultima Nature range from Affinity Petcare, ...

4.4 Innovation in bulk: Purina tests an automatic kibble dispenser in Saint-Brieuc, France

The pet food market is undergoing a transformation, thanks in particular to innovative distribution initiatives. Purina, a key player in the sector, recently launched a pilot project in Saint-Brieuc, France, with an automatic dispenser for bulk kibbles. This concept is part of an eco-responsible approach, responding to growing consumer demand for more sustainable and personalized solutions.

The dispenser offers several advantages: a significant reduction in plastic packaging, the ability for customers to precisely dose the desired quantity, and modern interaction thanks to an intuitive user interface. This system could also enable Purina to reinforce its brand image as a company committed to the ecological transition.

At the same time, this initiative raises a number of challenges, notably in terms of logistics management and hygiene. However, it reflects an underlying trend in the market: consumers are looking for products that combine practicality, quality and respect for the environment.

This test could mark a turning point for the petfood sector. If this experiment proves conclusive, it could be extended to other regions and inspire new practices to meet the expectations of pet owners.[***]

5.1 European legislation on the marketing of pet food

Directive ****/**/CEhttps://www.businesscoot.com/backend/study/***/**/edit#study_component_form_translations_de_fields

European Directive ****/**/EC defines animal feed as "products of plant or animal origin in their natural state, fresh or preserved, and products derived from their industrial processing, as well as organic or inorganic substances, alone or in mixtures, with or without additives, which are intended for oral animal feeding. products of their industrial processing, as well as organic or inorganic substances, alone or in mixtures, with or without additives, which are intended for oral animal feeding."

This Directive also establishes a list of undesirable substances and a maximum content limit for each of them. For example:

Fluorine content must not exceed *** mg/kg of feed materials; Lead content must not exceed ** mg/kg of feed materials; Mercury content must not exceed *.* mg/kg of feed materials.

Regulation ***/****/EC

European Regulation n°***/**** of July **, ****, amended and consolidated in ****, **** and ****, concerns the marketing and use of animal feed. It lays down the following rules for labeling and packaging:

Labeling and packaging must not mislead the user as to the characteristics of the feed, its nature, production method, composition or effects on animal health; Information must appear legibly and be ...

5.2 The European Federation of the Pet Food Industry (FEDIAF)

This federation, which operates at European level, has also drawn up a set of standards for its members, grouped into two main texts:

Code of Good Labeling Practice, available here Code of good practice on product safety, consultable here

The Federation has also compiled an exhaustive list of all reference texts under European law applicable or relevant to pet food. [***]

6.1 Segmentation

• C&D Foods France
• Affinity Petcare France
• United Petfood Producers
• Pepette
• Ultra Premium Direct
• Botanic
• Mars Petcare Monde
• Royal Canin (Mars Petcare)
• Maxi Zoo France (groupe Fressnapf)
• Mondou
• Tomojo
• Zoomalia
• Wanimo (Dôme Pharma)
• Croquetteland
• Vetostore, Le Bien Etre des Animaux
• Animaux Market
• La Compagnie des Animaux
• Bitiba France (Zooplus)
• Zooplus France
• Hill's Pet Nutrition
• Affinity Petcare
• Normandise Pet Food
• Japhy
• Tails.com (Nestlé Purina)
• Nestlé Purina Petcare
• FreshPet
• Reglo Pet Food
• Edgar Cooper
• Sopral
• Médor et Cie
• L’Animalerie - Do&Ka
• Alphia
• Huddle Corp
• ATM Petfood
• Hope Pet Food
• Natura Plus Ultra
• Canichef & Felichef