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Summary of our market study
The global companion animal market has been growing steadily, with an estimated value reaching $280 billion by 2022 and projected growth at a 7% CAGR from 2023 to 2032. Specifically, the Spanish market reflects this expansion, showing a significant increase with a 25.4% growth in turnover from 2020 to 2022, achieving €2.508 billion. Among various segments, pet food dominates, representing 68.10% of the market in 2022. In terms of consumer trends, Spanish households show substantial expenditure on pet care, with a significant portion allocated to food (65.32%) and veterinary services (28.02%). Dogs remain the favored pets, with certain breeds like the German Shepherd and English Setter being particularly popular.
The pet health sector is expected to see a turnover increase from €2.1 billion in 2022 to €3.804 billion by 2030, although this growth is accompanied by a trend towards market consolidation, with larger companies increasing their share at the expense of independent clinics. Additionally, the pet food industry has seen robust growth with a 51.61% increase in the number of companies. Despite a growing demand for pet products and services, Spain's trade deficit in dog and cat food worsened, reaching €38,725 million in 2022 due to imports outpacing exports. Emerging trends in the market include the rise of organic pet foods, popularity of pet subscriptions, growth of pet insurance, booming pet supplements, and increasing demand for pet grooming and beauty products.
The Companion Animal Market: An In-Depth Look into a Growing Spanish Industry
The companion animal market in Spain presents a fascinating case study, showcasing continuous growth in both pet ownership and industry dynamism. Pets, ranging from traditional dogs and cats to birds, fish, and even small mammals and reptiles, have become integral members of Spanish households. As the text lays out, this market isn’t just limited to pet sales; it encompasses a spectrum from accessories and hygiene to care products and feeds. A key factor in this market's buoyancy is the change in consumer attitudes towards pets. They're not merely animals but cherished companions whose well-being is of paramount importance to their owners. This sentiment has translated into a thriving market, with an estimated 28 million pets nationwide and around 40% of homes hosting at least one pet. The focus on pet care is notable, with massive spending directed towards their sustenance and welfare. Spain’s pet sector is dynamic and robust, with significant turnover growth over recent years, jumping by more than 10% to approximately €2.5 billion.
The pet food sector, representing over 65% of the market turnover, has seen an impressive Compound Annual Growth Rate of over 10%, signaling the sector's favorable condition. Dog and cat food, capturing a hefty 60.6% and 39.7% of sales respectively, reveal Spaniards' preferences for these companion animals. Breed-specific preferences also point towards a fondness for animals with recognized breeds over non-breeds. When it comes to healthcare, Spanish pet owners demonstrate a solid commitment, with a significant portion of them visiting veterinarians at least once a year and a remarkable 53.4% willing to pay whatever it takes for their pet's health issues. The market for veterinary services and products reflects this concern, with non-pharmacological treatments sharing a substantial portion of the market alongside traditional pharmacology. On the supply side, Spain boasts hundreds of legal breeders and numerous shelters, underlying a mix of sources for companion animals that range from high-priced purebreds to more altruistic adoptions. The market's structure sees large companies taking a significant stake in sales within the country. Nevertheless, there’s a trend emerging, showing a shift towards online channels, which now represent a budding 5% of the market, post a 25% growth from the previous year. Regulation is also playing a more critical role.
Key Players in the Global Companion Animal Market
The companion animal market is home to several major players who have established strong positions in the industry. These companies span various segments such as pet food, care, hygiene products, and accessories. Their contributions to the market are vital in shaping trends, product quality, availability, and consumer choice around the world. Below is an overview of some of the prominent companies that stand out in the companion animal market landscape.
- Mars Petcare : Part of the Mars Incorporated conglomerate, Mars Petcare is a titan within the pet care industry. With a comprehensive range of products, including popular brands like Pedigree, Whiskas, and Royal Canin, the company has a widespread global presence. Mars Petcare does not just produce pet nourishment; they also extend to services like veterinary health through their Banfield Pet Hospitals, reflecting their holistic approach to pet wellbeing.
- Nestlé Purina PetCare : Competing closely with Mars Petcare is Nestlé Purina PetCare, another significant entity that shapes the companion animal market. Purina is known for its emphasis on nutrition and has been innovative in creating specialized pet food catering to different dietary needs. With brands such as Pro Plan, Purina One, and Fancy Feast, they command respect and a loyal customer base for their scientific approach to pet nutrition.
- J.M. Smucker : While J.M. Smucker may be traditionally associated with fruit spreads and coffee, the company has a substantial stake in the pet food industry. Acquisitions like Big Heart Pet Brands have allowed Smucker to offer a diverse array of pet products. Brands under Smucker's umbrella offer pet food and snacks beloved by pet owners, demonstrating the company's diversification into consumer goods sectors outside of its original scope.
- Hill's Pet Nutrition : Hill's Pet Nutrition is another influential player, particularly renowned for its scientifically formulated pet diets. Their prescription diet and science diet lines cater to pets with specific health conditions and continue to be recommended by veterinarians worldwide. Hill's commitment to research and animal welfare cements its status as a cornerstone of the pet care market.
- Kiwoko : Kiwoko stands out as a specialized retailer in the Spanish market, offering a broad spectrum of products for all kinds of pets. As a pet store chain, Kiwoko provides not only food and accessories but also participates in educational initiatives and offers adoption services, positioning itself as a hub for pet owners. In summary, led by these market leaders.
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and presentation
Companion animals are animals that accompany households for companionship, as opposed to working animals that are kept for profit. The main pets are: cats, dogs, but also fish, as well as some small reptiles and mammals. The pet market deals with accessories, hygiene and care products, but also pet food.
Globally, the pet market is growing rapidly. Not only is the number of pets increasing, but spending per pet is growing faster, reflecting owners' growing concern for their pets. Among the leading multinationals in the sector are Mars Petcare, Netslé Purina Petcare, J.M. Smucker and Hill's Pet Nutrition.
Spaniards had more than 28 million pets in 2019, and more than 40% of households had at least one pet. At the European level, Spain is 7th in the number of dogs (6.7 million), 10th in the number of cats (3.8 million) and 3rd in the number of birds (6.9 million). The covid-19 pandemic has not slowed this momentum, as many Spaniards are looking for larger living spaces close to big cities, which should continue to boost the sector. Sales are made in large food stores, but also in specialized stores such as Kiwoko.
1.2 The world market
The Global Market
The global companion animal market is estimated to reach a value of $*** billion by **** and is expected to grow at a CAGR of *% between **** and ****.[***] This gives us the following estimates:
Marché mondial des animaux de compagnie Monde, ****-****, en milliards de dollars Source: ****
The European market
In ****, FEDIAF estimated that ** million households in the European Union had a pet (***), representing around **% of the total population.
Population européenne d'animaux de compagnie, par animal Europe, ****, in millions d'animaux Source: ****
According to Global Market Insights, the European pet market is expected to reach $** billion by ****. In ****, pet food generated €**.* billion, while other products and services in the market accounted for €**.* billion.[***]
In addition, the following chart shows which European retailers are the most important in the market in terms of turnover. Fressnapf, which also owns Maxi Zoo, is the market leader and the only retailer with a real European presence.
Les dix premières enseignes de produits pour animaux de companie en Europe Europe, ****, in millions of euros Source: ****
1.3 The domestic market
In a country that already counted in **** twice as many pets compared to children under ** years old (***), the pet sector is quite dynamic in Spain. In ****, **% of Spanish households had at least one pet, with ** million pets in the whole country.
Data about pets in Spain Spain, ****, millions, %, thousands Source: ****
In ****, the turnover of the pet sector was * billion euros and increased by **% in ****, reaching *.*** billion euros. In ****, turnover continued to grow, reaching €*.*** billion, an increase of **% over the previous year. The overall performance over the period was **.*%. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (***) during this period was approximately **.*%.
Turnover of the companion animal sector in Spain Spain, ****-****, billions of euros Source: ****
As for the pet food market, it can be seen that it accounted for **.**% of the total market turnover in ****. Thus between **** and ****, the turnover of the pet food sector experienced significant growth. From **** (***) for the period ****-**** was **.*% which shows the good dynamics of the sector.
Turnover of the animal feed market in Spain Spain, **xx-****, billions of euros Source: ****
1.3 imports and exports
As for exports and imports, we will focus on dog and cat food because they represent the majority of the pet market turnover. Thus, the analysis of HS code number ****** "cat or dog food for retail" allows us to clarify the situation of Spanish foreign trade in this market.
The following graph shows an increase in the Spanish trade deficit for these products. Indeed, between **** and ****, imports of dog and cat food in Spain experienced a growth of **.*%, from ***.*** million euros to ***.*** million euros . On the other hand, exports increased by **.*% during the same period, from ***.*** million euros to ***.*** million euros. Despite the fact that both imports and exports grew, the trade balance decreased, from a surplus of €*,*** million in **** to a deficit of €**,*** million in ****.
Value of Spanish exports and imports of cat and dog food Spain and the World, ****-****, millions of dollars Source: ****
In terms of exports, we see that Portugal and France concentrate the majority of the country's exports with **.**% and **.**%.
Spanish exports of cat and dog foods Spain and the world, ****, %, %, ****, %, %, %, ****
spanish imports in **** came mainly from France (***). Spanish imports of cat and dog food by value Spain and the World, ****, % Source: ****
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The profile of animal owners
As for the consumer, it was seen in Spain in **** that the total annual expenditure in euros was ****, of which **.**% (***) to accessories and toys.
Annual expenses of Spaniards Spain, ****, euros Source: ****
As for the origin of the pet, in ****, **% of people adopted their pets, while **% picked them up from the street. Some **% received their animals as a gift, and **% bought them from a breeder. On the other hand, **% acquired their pets from a store, **% bought them from a private individual and **% obtained a breeding from another animal they already had. Finally, *% of people obtained their animals for other reasons.
how did Spaniards get their pets ? Spain, ****, % Source: ****
In addition, we see that Spaniards in **** offered by **% nutritious treats to their pets, by **% toys. Beauty treatments and clothing represented smaller sub-segments with *% and *% of respondents claiming to offer those things.
Gifts that Spaniards most offer their pets Spain, ****, % Source: ****
2.2 Most requested animals
In Spain, in ****, a total of *,*** dogs, *,*** cats, *,*** birds, *** fish, *,*** small mammals and *,*** European terrariums were registered as pets in homes. These data reflect the diversity of pets that Spaniards choose to share their lives and enrich their experiences, although it can be seen that dogs are the favorite pets of Spaniards.
Most popular pets in Spain Spain, ****, number of pets Source: ****
In terms of breed, in ****, **% of dogs were non-breeds and **% of dogs had a breed.
dogs with or without breed ? Spain, ****, % Source: ****
Thus, the Spaniards prefer to choose dogs with breeds as for dogs without. The following table, represents then the preferred breeds of the Spaniards in terms of dogs birds and cats.
Source: ****
2.3 The demand for animal health care
According to a survey conducted in **** by Anicura, **.*% of Spaniards took their pets to the veterinarian only when necessary, while *.*% did so less than once a year. On the other hand, **.*% went * or * times a year and **.*% went * or * times a year. Some *.*% took their pets more than * times a year and, finally, *.*% did not take them to the veterinarian.
Frequency of taking the pet to the veterinarian Spain, ****, % Source: ****
Regarding the economic cost, it is highlighted that **.*% of Spaniards would pay whatever it was for their pet if it had a health problem.
how much would you be willing to pay for surgery for your pet? Spain, ****, % Source: ****
In ****, in the pet drug sales market in Spain, biological products represent **.*% of the market share, while diagnostics occupy *.*%. Nutraceuticals have a **.*% share, and pharmacological products account for **.*%. As for antiparasitics, internal antiparasitics have a share of **.*% and external antiparasitics have a share of *.*%. Anti-infective agents account for *.*% of the market, and other pharmacological products for *.*%. Finally, topical products have a market share of *.*%.
Market shares in terms of sales of drugs for small animals Spain, ****, % source : AMVAC
2.4 the demand for feed in terms of animals
In ****, the total turnover of the cat and dog food market could be seen to reach *.*** billion euros. Dog products accounted for **.*% of sales and cat products for **.*%. In terms of product categories, dry food accounted for **.*%, wet food **.*% and snacks **.*%.
Turnover and segmentation in the pet food market by value Spain, ****, ****, billions of euros Source: ****
3 Market structure
3.1 Animal feed in Spain
The evolution of the number of pet food manufacturing companies in Spain experienced a steady growth in recent years. Between **** and ****, there was an increase of **.**%, followed by an increase of **.**% in ****. In ****, growth was lower at *.**%, but **** saw a significant increase of **.**%. In summary, the pet food industry in Spain experienced sustained growth, with a total increase of **.**% in the number of companies from **** to ****.
Number of companies in CNAE code **** "Manufacture of pet food products" Spain, ****-****, number of companies Source: ****
As for the number of employees, it also increased in the period. It was **.*% between **** and ****. That figure combined with the increase in the number of companies then shows a growth of the sector that is not concentrated.
Evolution of the number of employees in the pet food sector Spain, ****-****, number of employees Source: ****
3.2 Medicine and animals
The map below shows the territorial distribution of the animal health and nutrition market in ****. It can be seen that Catalonia and Castilla Y León were the two regions with the highest turnover in that year (***).
As for the veterinary structures in Spain in ****, a diverse distribution is observed in terms of market shares according to the size of the company. Veterinary clinic companies account for **% of the share, while independent clinic groups occupy **% of the market. However, independent clinics continue to be the most predominant in the sector, comprising **% of the market share.
Distribution of veterinary clinics in Spain Spain, ****, % Source: ****
A within the turnover of large companies, it is worth noting that Anicura leads the market with **% of turnover, closely followed by Vetpartners with **%. Medivet-Kitikan ranks third with **% of turnover, while IVC-Evidensia and MIVET share fourth place with **% each. UNAVETS is in sixth place with a *% market share, and finally, other veterinary companies account for the remaining **%
Breakdown of turnover among the major veterinary groups Spain, ****, % Source: ****
Between **** and ****, the animal health sector in Spain is expected to experience a growth in turnover of **.**% from *.* billion euros to *.* billion euros. In the following period, from **** to ****, turnover is ...
3.3 Distribution
Food distribution and grooming salon
In ****, there were about *,*** pet stores in Spain, whether they were retailers, petshops, large chains, franchises or department stores. Also, it was estimated in that year **,*** dog grooming salons. [***]
Between the online and physical channel, after a **% growth between **** and **** the online channel represented *% of sales in ****.
Breakdown of online and physical Petcare trade Spain, ****, % Source: ****
Distribution of medicines :
It stood out in **** that large operators represented with **.*% of sales, and pharmacies *.*%. On the other hand, clinic companies and grouped clinics accounted for *.*% of total drug sales, while traditional veterinarians occupied a prominent position, being responsible for **.*% of sales in that year. Finally, retailers, also known as pet shops, accounted for *.*% of the distribution of medicines in Spain in ****
Distribution of pet medicines in Spain Spain, June ****, % Source: ****
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Offer of animals
In Spain, there are *** legal pet breeders [***]. Every year, ***,*** pets are abandoned in the country, which may constitute the supply in terms of pets.
The graph below shows the prices to adopt a dog or a cat in Spain. These prices allow the shelters to have money to take care of the other abandoned animals.
Average prices to adopt a dog or a cat in Spain Spain, ****, euros Source: ****
However, to get a purebred animal, prices are much higher because they need special breeding by special breeders. Here are the prices of some dog breeds in Spain for the year ****.
Prices of some dog breeds Spain, ****, euros Source: ****
4.2 Prices
You can see in the graph below the evolution of the index base ***, ****, in terms of animal feed prices. Thus, in ****, the index decreased slightly to **.**, but in **** it increased to ***.**. Over the years, it has continued to increase, reaching ***.** in ****, ***.** in **** and ***.** in ****. An acceleration of price increases can then be highlighted from **** onwards.
Evolution of the animal feed price index Spain, ****-****, index base ***, **** Source: ****
For the eovlution of the prices of veterinary services, we also see an increase in prices over the years ****-****. In * years, the index increased by *.** points,
Evolution of prices of veterinary services for pets Spain, ****-****, index base ***, **** Source: ****
4.3 the range of pet products
The offer of toys for pets is very wide. The table below, proposes to gather the most popular toys on amazon by customers in terms of dog toys.
Source: ****
4.4 Supply trends
An organic food. As for human beings, a wide range of organic products for animals is being developed in Spain. The Catalan company Husse offers for example ***% natural food for pets.
Popularity of pet subscriptions. Millennial pet owners in the United States are opting for closed and automated services, such as monthly clubs and subscriptions to medications, supplements, toys, treats, clothing and even breed-specific subscription boxes. There are subscription services for dogs, birds, cats, fish, horses, rabbits and any other type of pet.
Growth of pet insurance. The cost of owning a pet can reach more than **,*** euros over its lifetime, depending on the breed and medical expenses. Pet insurance covers different needs, such as veterinary expenses, vaccinations and medications. In Canada alone, pet insurance premiums exceeded $*** million in ****, and Canadian insurance brands are rapidly expanding their services to cover the costs associated with pets.
Pet supplements boom. The pet supplement market has experienced significant growth. All-natural supplements have become essential elements in the diet of many pets, especially dogs.
Pet grooming and beauty products. The pet grooming products market was valued at more than $* billion in the U.S. alone in ****. Pet shampoos and conditioners account for the majority of ...
5 Regulation
5.1 Regarding animal protection
The law */****, of March **th, for the protection of the rights and welfare of animals, is a law whose objective is to develop a single system of census of pets in Spain at national level. Also, this new law adds obligations for pet owners. Finally, this law has as its main objective to limit the abandonment of pets.
Regarding the new obligations of pet owners, the following elements can be highlighted:
For dogs:
Owners will have to take a course proving that they are capable of taking care of a dog. Uncontrolled breeding of dogs will be avoided The concept of breed is eliminated, instead, a sociability test will be carried out for each large animal Excluded from the law: Hunting dogs, herdsmen, shepherds and Security Forces.
For cats:
The sterilization will be compulsory except if it is a breeding cat. The identification with a microchip will be compulsory.
For all animals:
Euthanasia is forbidden except in cases of major suffering of the animal, and in case of incurable disease A pet may not be left unattended for more than * days. For dogs, it is one day. As for the sale and breeding, dogs, cats or ferrets cannot be marketed in ...
6 Stakeholder positioning
6.1 Segmentation
- Elmubas ibéricas SA
- Visan industrias Zootécnicas SL
- Nestlé Purina petcare España SAU
- Biologic Kali-Sec SL
- Piensos Picart SA
- Golden pet food SL
- Petselect SA
- Productos para animales de compañia San Dimas SA
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