The European Pet Food Federation (FEDIAF) released its annual overview of the pet population and pet market in Europe.  A staggering 88 million households (38%) benefit from pet ownership and the pet food industry has grown 2.8% and is now worth 21.8 billion.

Pets are also being rewarded for their companionship throughout the pandemic with 21.2 billion spent on services and products, 1.5 billion more than the previous year and an increase of 7.6%.  This equates to 9.2 billion spent on accessories and 12 million on services.

Key European Data:

• 88 million households own a pet (38%)
• There are around 110 million cats, 90 million dogs, 52 million birds, 30 million small mammals, 15 million aquaria and 9 million reptiles
• Annual sales of pet food products 21.8 billion 
• Annual growth rate of the pet food industry 2.8%
• Annual sales of pet food products 8.5 billion tonnes
• Related services and products: 21.2 billion 

Raquel Izquierdo de Santiago, FEDIAF Secretary General, explains: “2020 was an extremely challenging year. At a time when so many of us were concerned about our health and faced social restrictions, it is reassuring that 88 million European households, approximately 202.4 million people[i], benefitted from the love and companionship of a pet.”

“In addition to this much-appreciated friendship, research has proved that animal ownership has alleviated some of the detrimental psychological effects of lockdowns and social restrictions.  Research undertaken during the pandemic has shown 74% of pet owners believe their pet has helped their mental health and 86.5% agreed their animals had provided emotional support[ii].”

To read more about FEDIAF data and the benefits of pet interaction, please visit www.fediaf.org.