Europe Pet Food Nutraceuticals Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

Europe Pet Food Nutraceuticals Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The Europe Pet Food Nutraceuticals Market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.4% during the forecast period.

Key Highlights

• The trends of pet ‘humanization’ and ‘premiumization’ are prevalent among Europeans, acting as the prime driver of the market. Additionally, the increasing number of single families, rising animal healthcare costs, aging pet population, and poor outcomes of the use of drugs have led to consumers looking for alternatives in the form of natural and organic products. A recent symposium by Royal Veterinary College highlighted that almost all owners, 99% viewed their pet as part of the family. Thus, the humanization of pets is the key trend driving the market.
• Further, increasing consciousness about pet health catalyzed European pet owners to turn towards nutraceutical food. Supplements are used as alternatives to drugs by the veterinary community. Adding active ingredients based on intended functionality makes supplements therapeutic and healthy treats. Eventually, specialist products, including those focusing on specific health benefits, continue to be very popular and have shown strong growth.
• Moreover, cats and dogs have specific nutritional needs, which vary by life stage, physical and mental health, and activity level. Pet food must provide the right balance of nutrients. Pet food is nutritionally complete, providing all the nutrients in the amounts and proportions your pet needs. The recent rise in awareness about nutrition and healthy lifestyles has transcended the pet-food industry. Subsequently, the cat segment dominates in the animal type owing to the large population of cats in the region compared to other animals.

Key Market TrendsRise in the Number of Pets Drives the Market

Due to loneliness in older adults and westernization, pet ownership has increased in European countries. For many years, pets have been shown love and affection by all the family, and the number of pet-owning families has grown. The pet population has been on the rise in the country. According to the European Pet Food Industry Federation, in 2021, 90 million households, constituting 46% of the total households in the region, own a pet, an increase of 2.2% from 2020. These pet owners are ready to spend vast amounts on their pets' well-being. In 2021, the pet food industry delivered USD 25.9 billion in turnover and attained an annual growth rate of 2.85%, portraying the rise in pet food demand and, consecutively, supplements.

Further, the pet population has also been increasing at the country levels in the region. According to the Pet Food Manufacturers' Association (PFMA), in 2022, 17.4 million households, which constitutes 62% of the total population in United Kingdom, own a pet. Furthermore, dogs accounted for 34% of the whole household owned, while cats accounted for 28% of the household pets. The total pet population in United Kingdom reached 34 million, including 13 million dogs and 12 million cats. Further, 4.7m households accounting for nearly 17%, have acquired a new pet since the start of the pandemic, with around 45% of the owners aged above 40. Similar is the case for other major regional markets. The rising pet ownership depicts the care and affection towards the pet, which favors the purchasing decision of the consumers to get the appropriate diets and supplements to ensure the pets' health, thereby boosting the market growth.

Germany Accounts for a Prominent Market

Germany is one of the major markets in the region owing to its high pet population and attachment towards the pet, which enables the owners to spend for the well-being of their pets. Also, Germany is the largest economy in the European Union (EU) and the fourth-largest economy in the world, outlining the spending capacity of the consumers. Further, according to the Industrial Association of Pet Care Producers (IVH), in 2021, the country had 34.7 million pets. Also, around 47% of German households own pets, and 15% have more than one pet.

With such a huge population of pets, the country is a large and promising pet food market, especially for pet food nutraceuticals owing to the increased awareness of pet diets and nutrient requirements, as pet owners set the health of pets a priority. According to a survey by the Europe Pet Food Forum, more than 1,500 dog and cat owners in Germany rated natural, functional nutrition and the source and amount of protein ingredients as the most important features in the pet foods they buy.

Further, the country has witnessed the emergence of startups in the sector. For instance, Hamburg, Germany-based People who kaer offers supplements for dogs targeting specific health conditions, including joint, immune, skin, and coat health, formulated with functional ingredients like collagen, Green Lipped Mussel, Biotin, probiotics, and more. Subsequently, the cat population dominates the country. According to European Pet Food Industry Federation, the cat population reached 16.7 million in 2021, accounting for nearly 48.1% of the total pet population. In addition, the country possesses nearly 15% of the total cat population in the Europe. Therefore, pet food nutraceuticals specialized for cats, and meeting their nutritional requirements are anticipated to flourish, owing to the increasing cat population in the country.

Competitive Landscape

The Europe Pet Food Nutraceuticals Market is highly concentrated, with few players holding a significant market share. Mars Inc., Nestle SA, Wellness Pet Company, Hill's Pet Nutrition Inc, and J.M Suckers are some of the prominent players in the region. These players primarily concentrate on frequent product launches for different types of pets to increase their sales. Merging with other pet food manufacturing firms, acquisitions, and partnerships are the major strategies followed by these players.

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