The veterinary market - Italy (2024)

1.2 The world market

The global veterinary services market reached a value of $***.* billion in **** and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate (***) of *.* percent between **** and ****. This growth is mainly fueled by the increase in pet ownership, particularly in urban areas, where owners view pets as family members and are willing to invest more in their health and well-being.

Looking at the data in the graph, we see a steady growth of the market year after year. In ****, the value of the market will rise to $***.** billion, a *.** percent increase from ****. In ****, the market will reach $***.** billion, marking a **.**% increase over ****. By ****, the global veterinary services market will touch $***.** billion, registering an overall increase of **.**% over the initial **** value.

This sharp increase is a direct reflection of the growing focus on animal health, with acceleration particularly visible from ****, when the market value exceeds $*** billion, and then grows further to the projected $***.** billion by ****.

Global veterinary services market value World, ****, US$ billion Precedentresearch

The large global increase in zoonotic and foodborne diseases is driving the growth of the veterinary services market, underscoring the importance of animal health protection and food safety. The COVID-** pandemic has altered consumer preferences, directing them to online marketplaces ...

1.3 The European market

the market for veterinary services in Europe has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by an increase in pet adoptions and a growing focus on the welfare of companion and farm animals.

This sector, which includes a wide range of services such as diagnosis, treatment, disease prevention and surgical services, is a key component in the European economy. Technological advances, combined with pet owners' increased awareness of health and care, are driving continued market expansion.

In ****, the total value of the veterinary services market in Europe is estimated to have reached approximately $**.** billion, with a forecast to grow to $**.** billion by ****, thanks to a compound annual growth rate (***) of *.* percent. This section will explore the dynamics of the European market, the key players involved, emerging trends, and the challenges that characterize this constantly evolving industry.

European market value Europe, ****-****, Billions MordorIntelligence

1.4 The Italian market

To provide a more accurate and complete estimate of the Italian veterinary market, we considered not only the value of the market for "veterinary products," but also that for "veterinary services." This approach provides a more accurate view of the breadth and importance of the sector, which includes both the sale of products and the professional services of veterinarians. The overall market value, as shown in the table below, is thus the sum of the two components, providing an integrated overview of the veterinary sector in Italy.

Market value of veterinary services and products **** * Billion €

The trend of the veterinary services market turnover from **** to **** is shown. A steady growth can be seen over the period. In ****, the turnover was €*** million, which increased by *.* percent in **** to reach €*** million. In ****, it passed the *,*** million mark, reaching **** million, an increase of **.* percent over ****. The growth continues in **** with sales of ****.* million, registering an increase of **.*% over ****. In ****, the market reaches ****.* million, marking a growth of *.*%. Finally, in ****, turnover reaches ****.* million, an increase of *.*% over the previous year. Overall, from **** to ****, the market grew by **.* percent. Since there is no data on **** and ****, we have made an estimate by taking **** turnover and the ...

2.1 Demand in Italy

Italians' relationship with pets has changed over the past few years.

The graph illustrates how Italians' relationship with pets has changed over the past few years. In ****, **.* percent of respondents said they owned a pet, while **.* percent owned more than one. The percentage of those who did not own pets was very high at **.* percent. Since then, the trend shows a steady increase in the percentage of those who do not own animals, from **.* percent in **** to **.* percent this year, peaking at **.* percent in ****.

At the same time, the share of those who own an animal has decreased, falling from **.* percent in **** to **.* percent in ****, with minimal fluctuations between **** and ****. The share of those who own multiple animals also declined, from **.* percent in **** to ** percent in ****, despite some fluctuations in the intervening years.

Response to the question "do you own pets?" Italy, ****-****, % Eurispes

**.*% of people do not own any pets, **.*% have only one pet, and **% of respondents have two or more pets (***). Comparing this data with the previous graph, which shows an increasing trend of people without pets, there is a consistency: even in ****, the majority of respondents (***) do not have pets. With respect to the breakdown between those ...

2.2 Demand drivers

It is shown that in the case of people living alone, **.*% own an animal, while **% do not. Among couples without children, **.*% have an animal, with a higher percentage of those who do not own one (***). Couples with children show a similar pattern, with **% having an animal and **.*% having none. Single parents with children have a distribution of **.*% who own an animal and **.*% who do not. Finally, in the "Other" category, **.*% have an animal and **.*% do not. In general, there is a prevalence of households without pets in all categories, with percentages ranging from **.*% to **.*%. The largest share of households with a pet is found among couples with children, while the "Other" category has the highest percentage among households with more than three pets (***).[***]

Therapeutic benefits associated with pet ownership: Pet ownership offers a number of therapeutic, physiological, psychological, and psychosocial benefits to pet owners. They include:[***] Reduced blood pressure. Reduced risk of heart attacks. Increased physical activity. Increased sensory stimulation, emotional support. A stronger sense of physical and psychological well-being. Studies have also shown that these benefits persist even when adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic factors, education, medication use, etc., demonstrating that the link between pet ownership and better health is persistent ...

2.3 The geographical distribution of demand

To analyze the geographic distribution of the demand for veterinary services, both the number of people who own animals in different macro-regions of Italy and the distribution of the average monthly household expenditure on veterinary services in the same geographic macro-areas will be presented.

Animal ownership:

In the Northwest, ** percent of people do not own animals, while **.* percent have one. Similar situations are observed in the Northeast (***) and the Islands with ** percent.

Ownership of two or more animals is less common in all areas, with percentages generally below * percent.

Average Spending: The Northeast and Northwest regions record the highest spending at *.** euros per month. The Center follows with an average expenditure of *.** euros. In sharp contrast, the South and Islands have the lowest spending, at *.** euros per month.

The geographic map highlights this difference, with northern areas colored in darker shades, representing higher spending, while southern and island regions are shown in light green, corresponding to lower spending. This distribution suggests an economic and investment disparity in pet services between areas of Italy, with the North devoting more spending than the South and Islands.

2.4 Pet owners' reaction to inflation and price increases

The Assiociazione Nazionale Medici Veterinariani Italiani(***) has released the results of a survey that sheds light on pet owners' reaction to recent inflationary phenomena over the past year.

Rejection of overpriced care:

The survey identified a marked propensity to refuse care considered too expensive, observed in **% of facilities.

Response to question: have you had clients who refused care because it was deemed too expensive? Italy, ****, % ANMVI

the most expensive health care expenditures in Italy in **** are highlighted. Advanced diagnostics appears to be the highest expenditure item at **%, followed by advanced surgery at **%. Chronic drug therapies account for **%, while cancer treatments and therapies are slightly lower at **%. These data indicate that more complex medical technologies and procedures, such as advanced diagnostics and surgery, account for the majority of costs incurred, while drug and oncology therapies, while significant, account for less in percentage terms. Most burdensome expenses Italy,****% ANMVI

Purchasing power:

Clients' perception of purchasing power has also changed, with **% of the facilities surveyed noting a decrease in at least some cases.

Answer to the question: in the last ** months have you noticed a general loss of purchasing power among your clients? Italy, ****, % ANMVI Although the rise in living costs is not yet ...

3.1 The market structure

For the analysis of the market structure of veterinary services, * different quantities are considered:

Trends in the number of enterprises Trend in the number of employees Legal form of enterprises in the last year for which data are available

Number of enterprises:

Between **** and ****, the veterinary services sector experienced significant growth in the number of operating enterprises, registering a growth of **.**%. During these years, we observed an almost constant increase, with a slight contraction in ****. Despite this, the sector showed strong resilience, with significant growth in **** and ****, peaking in **** with **.** thousand enterprises.

Number of active enterprises in the veterinary services sector Italy, ****-****, in thousands Istat

Employment:

From **** to ****, the veterinary services sector in Italy has seen substantial growth in the number of people employed, with an increase of **.** percent. As with the number of firms, growth has been almost constant year after year, with a small decline in **** from the previous year followed by a peak in **** with the highest number of employed at **.** thousand.

Number of people employed in the veterinary services sector Italy, ****-****, thousands Istat

Legal form of enterprises:

The majority of businesses (***) operate as "Sole proprietors, freelancers and self-employed." This predominance suggests a sector characterized by ...

3.2 The value chain

Pets come from three main sources: shelter facilities (***), farms, and private individuals. These actors introduce animals into the service system. Once placed, animals may require a variety of services: veterinary services play a central role in health and medical treatment, while other complementary services include washing and grooming, training, and dog & cat sitting. These services support general animal care, but the crucial role of veterinarians is to ensure health, acting in synergy with other sectors to maintain a high level of welfare.

3.3 The typology of structures

Typology:

Also in ****, the predominant type of Italian veterinary facilities is outpatient clinic. There are no significant differences from ****. Compared to previous years, the territorial distribution of facilities is more uniform.

Type of veterinary facilities Italy, ****, % ANMVI

The percentage distribution of the size of veterinary facilities in Italy in ****, divided between those up to ** square meters and those over ** square meters, is shown. The majority of veterinary clinics (***) are small, up to ** square meters, while only *.* percent of veterinary practices fall within this size range. No clinic, veterinary hospital or home-based freelance practice is located in spaces smaller than ** sq m.

In facilities larger than ** sq m, the percentage of practices falls to **.* percent, while clinics account for **.* percent. Only a fraction of practices (***) are located in larger spaces. No presence detected for hospitals or home services in this range.

Size of veterinary facilities Italy, ****, % ANMVI

3.4 The main market players

The pricipal veterinary service providers in Italy are:

Clinica Veterinaria Privata S. Marco S.r.l.: San Marco Veterinary Clinic was founded in **** by Dr. Marco Caldin with the aim of offering a full range of services for the diagnosis and treatment of pets in one center. Gregorio VII Veterinary Medical and Surgical Center: This is a Veterinary Hospital in Rome open * days a week H ** with highly qualified staff for day and night veterinary emergency surgeries for both dogs and cats. Vet Hospital H** Florence Srl: Vet Hospital H** Veterinary Hospital, located in Florence, Italy, provides a range of veterinary services including basic care, specialized surgeries and emergency services available **/*. The facility employs a team of ** veterinary physicians, nurses and administrative staff. Gran Sasso Veterinary Clinic S.r.l.: Gran Sasso Veterinary Clinic was founded in Milan in **** by Drs. Maria Cristina Crosta and Claudio Bussadori. Borghesiana Veterinary Clinic S.r.l.: Borghesiana Veterinary Clinic was founded in **** with the intention of providing qualified and modern veterinary services. It is located in Rome and provides a wide range of services including surgical services. Centro Medico Chirurgico Veterinario - Società a Responsabilità Limitata is a facility located in Rome, specifically at ...

4.1 Type of the offer

Veterinary service offerings consist of several services, some of the most common are:[***]

4.2 The prices

Altroconsumo monitored the costs of a general and microchip visit and opening hours on Saturdays and weekends in *** veterinary clinics in * cities. The information is current as of January ** this year.

From the survey, there is a notable difference in costs for the first veterinary visit between cities: normally, southern cities are cheaper. ** out of *** clinics contacted offer a free first visit to get to know the animal. In Milan, Turin, and Bari, several facilities go as far as asking more than €**. In general, outpatient clinics turn out to be cheaper than clinics.[***]

Average expenses for the first veterinary visit for a dog in different Italian cities range between ** and ** euros. Milan records the highest average cost of ** euros, while Naples has the lowest cost of ** euros. The other cities are in the middle range, with not too significant variations among them.

Average first visit expense for dog Italy, ****, € Altroconsumo

the price trend of veterinary services for pets in Italy from **** to **** is shown. In ****, the index was ***.*, and it has steadily increased, reaching ***.* in ****. Between **** and ****, prices increased by *.* percent. The increase was gradual, with a slowdown in **** (***) and a stronger recovery between **** and ****, when the index rose from ***.* to ...

5.1 The regulation

In Italy, veterinary practice is regulated by a set of laws and regulations that outline professional standards and requirements for veterinary practice. Some of the most important are:

Veterinary Code of Ethics: established by the Veterinary Medical Association, the code of ethics establishes the ethical and professional standards that veterinarians must follow. Regulation (***) ****/*: This regulation aims to modernize existing rules related to the management of veterinary medicines, while stimulating their innovation and increasing their availability on the market. It also intends to intensify the EU's efforts in combating antimicrobial resistance. With this in mind, it promotes more responsible use of veterinary medicines, aiming to reduce administrative burdens and simplify bureaucratic processes. This is aimed at strengthening the internal market, increasing the availability of these medicines, while maintaining high protection of public health, animal welfare and the environment. Regulation (***) ****/***: on communicable animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the field of animal health. Delegated Regulation (***) ****/**; Implementing Regulation (***) ****/****: covers the registration and approval of establishments keeping land animals and collecting, producing, processing or storing germ material. LAW No. *** of July **, ****: Introduces provisions regarding the prohibition of mistreatment of animals, as well as their use in clandestine fighting or unauthorized competitions. Legislative ...

6.1 Segmentation

Veterinary clinics:

Veterinary hospitals:

[***]

• Clinica Veterinaria Privata S. Marco S.r.l.
• Centro Medico Chirurgico Veterinario Gregorio VII
• Vet Hospital H24 Firenze Srl
• Clinica Veterinaria Gran Sasso S.r.l.
• Clinica Veterinaria Borghesiana S.r.l.