Europe Pet Food Market

Europe Pet Food Market, valued at USD 36 billion, is growing due to increasing pet ownership, health-focused products, and online sales, with opportunities in organic and Eastern Europe segments.

Region:Europe

Author(s):Dev

Product Code:KRAB0636

Pages:96

Published On:August 2025

About the Report

Base Year 2024

Europe Pet Food Market Overview

  • The Europe Pet Food Market is valued at approximately USD 36 billion, based on a five-year historical analysis. This growth is primarily driven by increasing pet ownership rates, rising disposable incomes, and a strong trend toward premium, organic, and functional pet food products. Consumers are increasingly focused on their pets' health and nutrition, fueling demand for high-quality, nutritionally balanced, and specialized pet food options. The market is also benefiting from the expansion of online retail channels and the growing popularity of sustainable packaging solutions, which further accelerate growth.
  • Countries such as Germany, the UK, and France continue to dominate the Europe Pet Food Market, supported by high pet ownership rates and robust retail infrastructure. These nations maintain a strong culture of pet care, with consumers willing to invest in premium and specialized products. The presence of major pet food manufacturers and a broad distribution network in these countries further reinforces their market leadership.
  • In 2023, the European Union adopted Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on official controls, which includes enhanced requirements for pet food safety, labeling, and quality control. This regulation, issued by the European Parliament and the Council, mandates comprehensive traceability, stricter labeling standards, and regular inspections for pet food manufacturers, ensuring all products comply with high safety and nutritional benchmarks. The regulation aims to strengthen consumer confidence and safeguard pet health across the region.
Europe Pet Food Market Size

Europe Pet Food Market Segmentation

By Type:The pet food market is segmented into Dry Food, Wet Food, Treats and Snacks, Organic Pet Food, Grain-Free Pet Food, Functional Pet Food, Conventional Pet Food, and Others. Dry Food remains the most popular choice among pet owners due to its convenience, extended shelf life, and cost-effectiveness. Wet Food is gaining traction, particularly among cat owners, as it provides hydration and is perceived as more palatable. The market is witnessing a notable rise in organic and functional pet food, driven by health-conscious consumers seeking advanced nutrition and products with added vitamins, probiotics, and high protein content.

Europe Pet Food Market segmentation by Type.

By Species:The market is also segmented by species, including Dog Food, Cat Food, Small Animal Food (e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs), Bird Food, and Fish Food. Dog Food holds the largest share, supported by high numbers of dog owners and a strong trend toward premium and specialized dog food products. Cat Food is also significant, with increasing demand for wet and functional formulas tailored to feline health. The market for food for small animals, birds, and fish is smaller but steadily expanding, reflecting the diversification of pet ownership and the availability of specialized nutrition solutions for these species.

Europe Pet Food Market segmentation by Species.

Europe Pet Food Market Competitive Landscape

The Europe Pet Food Market is characterized by a dynamic mix of regional and international players. Leading participants such as Nestlé Purina PetCare, Mars Petcare, Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive), Royal Canin (Mars Inc.), Affinity Petcare, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, United Petfood, Butcher's Pet Care, Fressnapf, Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc., Blue Buffalo (General Mills), WellPet LLC, The J.M. Smucker Company, Canidae Pet Foods, Champion Petfoods contribute to innovation, geographic expansion, and service delivery in this space.

Nestlé Purina PetCare

1894

St. Louis, Missouri, USA

Mars Petcare

1950

McLean, Virginia, USA

Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive)

1907

Topeka, Kansas, USA

Royal Canin (Mars Inc.)

1968

Aimargues, France

Affinity Petcare

1992

Barcelona, Spain

Company

Establishment Year

Headquarters

Market Share (%)

Revenue (EUR/USD)

Revenue Growth Rate (%)

Geographic Footprint (Number of European Countries Served)

Product Portfolio Breadth (Number of SKUs/Brands)

Innovation Index (New Product Launches per Year)

Europe Pet Food Market Industry Analysis

Growth Drivers

  • Increasing Pet Ownership:The number of pet owners in Europe has surged, with approximately 91 million households owning pets as of 2023. This represents a significant increase from previous years, driven by urbanization and changing lifestyles. The European Pet Food Industry Association (FEDIAF) reported that pet ownership rates have risen by 10% since 2019, leading to a corresponding increase in demand for pet food products, which is projected to reach 12 million tons in future.
  • Rising Health Consciousness Among Pet Owners:Pet owners are increasingly prioritizing the health and well-being of their pets, with 60% of pet food sales in Europe now attributed to premium and health-focused products. The market for organic pet food alone is expected to exceed €1.5 billion in future, reflecting a growing trend towards natural ingredients and holistic nutrition. This shift is supported by a 15% increase in consumer spending on health-oriented pet products over the last two years.
  • E-commerce Growth in Pet Food Sales:E-commerce has transformed the pet food market, with online sales accounting for approximately €3 billion in 2023, a 25% increase from 2021. The convenience of online shopping and the rise of subscription services have contributed to this growth. According to Statista, online pet food sales are projected to reach €4 billion in future, driven by increased internet penetration and changing consumer shopping habits.

Market Challenges

  • Stringent Regulatory Compliance:The European pet food market faces significant challenges due to stringent regulations imposed by the EU, including compliance with the EU Pet Food Regulation (EC) No 767/2009. Companies must adhere to rigorous safety and labeling standards, which can increase operational costs. In 2023, over 30% of pet food manufacturers reported difficulties in meeting these regulatory requirements, impacting their market competitiveness and product availability.
  • Supply Chain Disruptions:The pet food industry has been significantly affected by supply chain disruptions, particularly due to the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions. In 2023, 40% of pet food companies reported delays in sourcing raw materials, leading to increased production costs. This situation is exacerbated by rising transportation costs, which have surged by 20% since 2021, further straining profit margins and product availability in the market.

Europe Pet Food Market Future Outlook

The future of the European pet food market appears promising, driven by evolving consumer preferences and technological advancements. As pet owners increasingly seek high-quality, nutritious options, the demand for premium and organic products is expected to rise. Additionally, innovations in pet food technology, such as personalized nutrition and sustainable packaging solutions, will likely shape the market landscape. Companies that adapt to these trends will be well-positioned to capture market share and meet the growing expectations of health-conscious consumers.

Market Opportunities

  • Growth in Organic and Natural Pet Food:The organic pet food segment is projected to grow significantly, with sales expected to reach €1.5 billion in future. This growth is driven by increasing consumer awareness of health and sustainability, presenting a lucrative opportunity for brands that focus on natural ingredients and eco-friendly practices.
  • Expansion into Emerging Markets:Emerging markets in Eastern Europe present substantial growth opportunities for pet food companies. With rising disposable incomes and increasing pet ownership rates, these markets are expected to see a 20% increase in pet food sales in future, allowing companies to expand their reach and diversify their product offerings.

Scope of the Report

SegmentSub-Segments
By Type

Dry Food

Wet Food

Treats and Snacks

Organic Pet Food

Grain-Free Pet Food

Functional Pet Food

Conventional Pet Food

Others

By Species

Dog Food

Cat Food

Small Animal Food (e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs)

Bird Food

Fish Food

By Distribution Channel

Supermarkets/Hypermarkets

Pet Specialty Stores

Online Retail

Veterinary Clinics

Other Retail Channels

By Price Range

Economy

Mid-Range

Premium

By Packaging Type

Bags

Cans

Pouches

Single-Serve Packs

By Ingredient Type

Meat-Based

Fish-Based

Plant-Based

Mixed Ingredients

By Region

Western Europe (UK, France, Germany, etc.)

Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia, etc.)

Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark, etc.)

Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, etc.)

Rest of Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.)

Key Target Audience

Investors and Venture Capitalist Firms

Government and Regulatory Bodies (e.g., European Food Safety Authority, Food Standards Agency)

Manufacturers and Producers

Distributors and Retailers

Pet Food Certification Organizations

Pet Health and Nutrition Experts

Industry Associations (e.g., European Pet Food Industry Federation)

Financial Institutions

Players Mentioned in the Report:

Nestle Purina PetCare

Mars Petcare

Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive)

Royal Canin (Mars Inc.)

Affinity Petcare

Dechra Pharmaceuticals

United Petfood

Butcher's Pet Care

Fressnapf

Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.

Blue Buffalo (General Mills)

WellPet LLC

The J.M. Smucker Company

Canidae Pet Foods

Champion Petfoods

Table of Contents

Market Assessment Phase

1. Executive Summary and Approach


2. Europe Pet Food Market Overview

2.1 Key Insights and Strategic Recommendations

2.2 Europe Pet Food Market Overview

2.3 Definition and Scope

2.4 Evolution of Market Ecosystem

2.5 Timeline of Key Regulatory Milestones

2.6 Value Chain & Stakeholder Mapping

2.7 Business Cycle Analysis

2.8 Policy & Incentive Landscape


3. Europe Pet Food Market Analysis

3.1 Growth Drivers

3.1.1 Increasing Pet Ownership
3.1.2 Rising Health Consciousness Among Pet Owners
3.1.3 Premiumization of Pet Food Products
3.1.4 E-commerce Growth in Pet Food Sales

3.2 Market Challenges

3.2.1 Stringent Regulatory Compliance
3.2.2 Supply Chain Disruptions
3.2.3 Price Sensitivity Among Consumers
3.2.4 Competition from Private Labels

3.3 Market Opportunities

3.3.1 Growth in Organic and Natural Pet Food
3.3.2 Expansion into Emerging Markets
3.3.3 Innovations in Pet Food Technology
3.3.4 Increasing Demand for Pet Treats and Snacks

3.4 Market Trends

3.4.1 Shift Towards Sustainable Packaging
3.4.2 Customization of Pet Food Products
3.4.3 Rise of Subscription Services for Pet Food
3.4.4 Focus on Pet Wellness and Nutrition

3.5 Government Regulation

3.5.1 EU Regulations on Pet Food Safety
3.5.2 Labeling Requirements for Pet Food Products
3.5.3 Regulations on Animal Welfare
3.5.4 Import Regulations for Pet Food Ingredients

4. SWOT Analysis


5. Stakeholder Analysis


6. Porter's Five Forces Analysis


7. Europe Pet Food Market Market Size, 2019-2024

7.1 By Value

7.2 By Volume

7.3 By Average Selling Price


8. Europe Pet Food Market Segmentation

8.1 By Type

8.1.1 Dry Food
8.1.2 Wet Food
8.1.3 Treats and Snacks
8.1.4 Organic Pet Food
8.1.5 Grain-Free Pet Food
8.1.6 Functional Pet Food
8.1.7 Conventional Pet Food
8.1.8 Others

8.2 By Species

8.2.1 Dog Food
8.2.2 Cat Food
8.2.3 Small Animal Food (e.g., rabbits, guinea pigs)
8.2.4 Bird Food
8.2.5 Fish Food

8.3 By Distribution Channel

8.3.1 Supermarkets/Hypermarkets
8.3.2 Pet Specialty Stores
8.3.3 Online Retail
8.3.4 Veterinary Clinics
8.3.5 Other Retail Channels

8.4 By Price Range

8.4.1 Economy
8.4.2 Mid-Range
8.4.3 Premium

8.5 By Packaging Type

8.5.1 Bags
8.5.2 Cans
8.5.3 Pouches
8.5.4 Single-Serve Packs

8.6 By Ingredient Type

8.6.1 Meat-Based
8.6.2 Fish-Based
8.6.3 Plant-Based
8.6.4 Mixed Ingredients

8.7 By Region

8.7.1 Western Europe (UK, France, Germany, etc.)
8.7.2 Eastern Europe (Poland, Russia, etc.)
8.7.3 Northern Europe (Sweden, Denmark, etc.)
8.7.4 Southern Europe (Italy, Spain, etc.)
8.7.5 Rest of Europe (Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.)

9. Europe Pet Food Market Competitive Analysis

9.1 Market Share of Key Players

9.2 KPIs for Cross Comparison of Key Players

9.2.1 Company Name
9.2.2 Market Share (%)
9.2.3 Revenue (EUR/USD)
9.2.4 Revenue Growth Rate (%)
9.2.5 Geographic Footprint (Number of European Countries Served)
9.2.6 Product Portfolio Breadth (Number of SKUs/Brands)
9.2.7 Innovation Index (New Product Launches per Year)
9.2.8 Distribution Network Coverage (Number of Retail Outlets/Online Platforms)
9.2.9 Brand Recognition Score (Survey/Index)
9.2.10 Sustainability Initiatives (Number of Eco-friendly Products/Certifications)
9.2.11 Customer Retention Rate (%)
9.2.12 Pricing Strategy (Average Price per kg)

9.3 SWOT Analysis of Top Players

9.4 Pricing Analysis

9.5 List of Major Companies

9.5.1 Nestlé Purina PetCare
9.5.2 Mars Petcare
9.5.3 Hill's Pet Nutrition (Colgate-Palmolive)
9.5.4 Royal Canin (Mars Inc.)
9.5.5 Affinity Petcare
9.5.6 Dechra Pharmaceuticals
9.5.7 United Petfood
9.5.8 Butcher's Pet Care
9.5.9 Fressnapf
9.5.10 Spectrum Brands Holdings, Inc.
9.5.11 Blue Buffalo (General Mills)
9.5.12 WellPet LLC
9.5.13 The J.M. Smucker Company
9.5.14 Canidae Pet Foods
9.5.15 Champion Petfoods

10. Europe Pet Food Market End-User Analysis

10.1 Procurement Behavior of Key Ministries

10.1.1 Government Pet Food Procurement Policies
10.1.2 Budget Allocations for Pet Welfare
10.1.3 Collaboration with Pet Food Manufacturers

10.2 Corporate Spend on Infrastructure & Energy

10.2.1 Investment in Pet Food Production Facilities
10.2.2 Energy Efficiency Initiatives in Manufacturing

10.3 Pain Point Analysis by End-User Category

10.3.1 Quality Concerns Among Pet Owners
10.3.2 Price Sensitivity in Budget-Conscious Consumers

10.4 User Readiness for Adoption

10.4.1 Awareness of Pet Nutrition
10.4.2 Willingness to Pay for Premium Products

10.5 Post-Deployment ROI and Use Case Expansion

10.5.1 Long-term Benefits of Quality Pet Food
10.5.2 Expansion of Product Lines Based on Consumer Feedback

11. Europe Pet Food Market Future Size, 2025-2030

11.1 By Value

11.2 By Volume

11.3 By Average Selling Price


Go-To-Market Strategy Phase

1. Whitespace Analysis + Business Model Canvas

1.1 Market Gaps Identification

1.2 Business Model Development


2. Marketing and Positioning Recommendations

2.1 Branding Strategies

2.2 Product USPs


3. Distribution Plan

3.1 Urban Retail Strategies

3.2 Rural NGO Tie-ups


4. Channel & Pricing Gaps

4.1 Underserved Routes

4.2 Pricing Bands


5. Unmet Demand & Latent Needs

5.1 Category Gaps

5.2 Consumer Segments


6. Customer Relationship

6.1 Loyalty Programs

6.2 After-sales Service


7. Value Proposition

7.1 Sustainability Initiatives

7.2 Integrated Supply Chains


8. Key Activities

8.1 Regulatory Compliance

8.2 Branding Efforts

8.3 Distribution Setup


9. Entry Strategy Evaluation

9.1 Domestic Market Entry Strategy

9.1.1 Product Mix Considerations
9.1.2 Pricing Band Strategy
9.1.3 Packaging Innovations

9.2 Export Entry Strategy

9.2.1 Target Countries Identification
9.2.2 Compliance Roadmap Development

10. Entry Mode Assessment

10.1 Joint Ventures

10.2 Greenfield Investments

10.3 Mergers & Acquisitions

10.4 Distributor Model Evaluation


11. Capital and Timeline Estimation

11.1 Capital Requirements

11.2 Timelines for Market Entry


12. Control vs Risk Trade-Off

12.1 Ownership vs Partnerships


13. Profitability Outlook

13.1 Breakeven Analysis

13.2 Long-term Sustainability


14. Potential Partner List

14.1 Distributors

14.2 Joint Ventures

14.3 Acquisition Targets


15. Execution Roadmap

15.1 Phased Plan for Market Entry

15.1.1 Market Setup
15.1.2 Market Entry
15.1.3 Growth Acceleration
15.1.4 Scale & Stabilize

15.2 Key Activities and Milestones

15.2.1 Activity Planning
15.2.2 Milestone Tracking

Research Methodology

ApproachModellingSample

Phase 1: Approach1

Desk Research

  • Analysis of industry reports from pet food associations and market research firms
  • Review of government publications on pet ownership statistics and trends in Europe
  • Examination of trade publications and online resources for emerging pet food products and innovations

Primary Research

  • Interviews with product development managers at leading pet food manufacturers
  • Surveys with veterinarians and pet nutritionists to gather insights on dietary trends
  • Focus groups with pet owners to understand preferences and purchasing behavior

Validation & Triangulation

  • Cross-validation of findings through multiple data sources, including sales data and consumer surveys
  • Triangulation of insights from industry experts, market reports, and consumer feedback
  • Sanity checks through expert panel discussions to ensure data reliability and relevance

Phase 2: Market Size Estimation1

Top-down Assessment

  • Estimation of total market size based on national pet ownership rates and average spending on pet food
  • Segmentation of the market by product type (dry, wet, treats) and distribution channel (online, retail)
  • Incorporation of macroeconomic factors influencing consumer spending on pet products

Bottom-up Modeling

  • Collection of sales data from major pet food retailers and manufacturers
  • Estimation of average price points for various pet food categories
  • Calculation of market size based on volume sold and average pricing across segments

Forecasting & Scenario Analysis

  • Utilization of historical growth rates to project future market trends through 2030
  • Scenario analysis based on potential regulatory changes and shifts in consumer preferences
  • Development of baseline, optimistic, and pessimistic forecasts to account for market volatility

Phase 3: CATI Sample Composition1

Scope Item/SegmentSample SizeTarget Respondent Profiles
Pet Food Retailers100Store Managers, Category Buyers
Pet Food Manufacturers80Product Managers, Marketing Directors
Veterinary Clinics60Veterinarians, Clinic Managers
Pet Owners120Pet Owners, Pet Care Enthusiasts
Pet Nutrition Experts40Nutritionists, Animal Dieticians

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the current value of the Europe Pet Food Market?

The Europe Pet Food Market is valued at approximately USD 36 billion, driven by increasing pet ownership, rising disposable incomes, and a growing demand for premium and organic pet food products.

Which countries dominate the Europe Pet Food Market?

What are the main drivers of growth in the Europe Pet Food Market?

What types of pet food are most popular in Europe?

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