The pet food market - Italy (2024)

1.2 The global and European market

The Global Market

The global pet food market is estimated at $***.** billion in **** and is expected to reach $***.** billion by ****, with a compound annual growth rate (***) of*.** percent. The growth is fueled by an increasing pet population and demand for high-quality, pet-specific foods. Dogs dominate the market, followed by cats. North ...

1.3 The Italian market

In ****, the Italian dog and cat food market was worth * billion euros, a growth of **.* percent compared to ****. This steady increase over the past ** years is mainly due to the increasing "humanization" of pets, which are increasingly considered members of the family. Owners are willing to invest more in premium products, ...

1.4 Foreign trade

The pet food sector has shown steady growth in recent years, as evidenced by data on exports (***), indicating a significant dependence on imports to meet domestic demand. This increase in trade, both in terms of exports and imports, underscores the growing importance of the sector, driven by increased spending on pets, ...

1.5 The development of the consumer price index

The trend of the Consumer Price Index for Pet Food, with base ****=***, shows gradual growth from January **** to September ****. In early ****, the index increases steadily from ***.* to ***.* in July of that year. This trend reflects a gradual increase in consumer costs. The peak is observed in August ****, when the index reaches ...

21. Demand in Italy

In ****, the pet population in Italy remained stable, with an estimated ** million, according to Euromonitor. Fish appear to be the most numerous pets, with nearly **.* million, accounting for nearly half of the total number of pets in Italian households. Dogs and cats, which together exceed ** million, are also widely distributed, with ...

2.2 Geographical distribution of demand

Regarding the geographical distribution of sales in Grocery and Traditional Petshops, some main trends emerge in ****:

Northern Italy: this area develops almost half of total sales, with particularly strong growth in the Northeast (***), above the national average. The predominant position of the North is due to the higher concentration of outlets ...

2.3 The benefits of Pet presence

More than * in ** owners believe that their pets offer comfort and help reduce stress, improving people's well-being. A similar percentage note that pets offer unconditional love and make people feel less lonely, becoming a valuable companion, especially in situations where a sense of isolation may emerge. About half of cat owners ...

3.1 The market structure

The analysis of the size of the pet food market is carried out by analyzing data belonging to ATECO code **.**.** (***). Specifically, three different magnitudes are considered:

number of active enterprises; number of employees; legal form of active enterprises;

Active enterprises

The following is the overview of active enterprises from **** to ****: an ...

3.2 Value Chain

The value chain in the pet food market includes several stages:

Development and research: innovation in food formulation, focusing on healthy ingredients, specific diets and sustainability. Production: includes the selection of raw materials (***) and industrial processing, with a focus on safety and quality. Distribution: takes place through physical (***) channels. Sales and ...

3.3 Distribution channels

To analyze pet food distribution channels, we will consider the following channels: Grocery, traditional Petshops and Petshop chains + large-scale retail chains. Each distribution channel in the pet food industry is distinguished by specific characteristics that allow it to maintain its own space in the market. In particular, Grocery and specialized channels, ...

3.4 Main actors

In the context of the pet food industry, enterprises operating under ATECO code **.** are classified as "Manufacture of pet food products." This category includes all enterprises engaged in the production of food, snacks and food specifically for dogs, cats and other pets.

3.5 E-Commerce for pets: what are the main purchasing platforms

E-commerce in Italy is experiencing remarkable growth, becoming increasingly relevant in retail. This development is encouraged by a number of factors, including increased consumer confidence in online shopping, the spread of mobile devices, and the availability of increasingly intuitive and user-friendly platforms. In the specific area of pets, Zooplus stands out ...

4.1 The Offering

The pet food market is divided into several categories, depending on animal species and nutritional needs. Here is an overview of the main categories of pet food:

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4.2 Prices

The following is an overview of prices in the sector under analysis:

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4.3 Innovative snacks and out-of-meals

Innovative snacks and treats for dogs and cats are emerging as a very dynamic segment in the pet food market. The growing demand for more functional and customized products has led to the development of snacks that go beyond a simple reward function. These products are designed to offer specific pet ...

5.1 Regulatory framework

The pet food market is subject to rules and regulations at both the Italian and European levels designed to ensure food safety, product quality and consumer protection. Below is an overview of the main regulations:

European regulations

Regulation (***) No. ***/****: establishes rules for the marketing and use of feed. Includes specific provisions ...

6.1 Segmentation

• Hill's Pet Nutrition
• Monge
• Morando
• Mister Pet
• Giuntini Pet
• Affinity Petcare
• United Petfood
• BeFood Pet
• Purina (Nestlè)