Spotlight on Poland
Demand for premium pet food products grows in Poland
Polish pet owners are increasingly leaning toward higher-priced pet food products, and that demand will only grow. "The number of DIPs (double income with pets families) is growing, particularly in large cities," says Regina Maiseviciute, an analyst in the Vilnius, Lithuania, office of Euromonitor International. "Young couples work longer hours and are able to afford upper-priced products, but lack time to prepare home food for their pets."
However, the percentage of such households is yet small and does not currently have a huge influence on the pets market, according to Maiseviciute. "Nevertheless, we expect that the trend, which is already well developed abroad, will become more significant in Poland as well," she adds.
Poland's petfood market accounts for 15.7% the overall petfood market in Eastern Europe, according Euromonitor, which puts it at number two in the region.
"Currently, grocery retailers account for the majority of revenues generated in petfood sales," Maiseviciute says. "Most Poles tend to buy petfoods while doing their weekly shopping in large scale outlets, like supermarkets and hypermarkets. However, the number of specialized retailers, including pet shops and pet superstores, is gradually growing."
According to Maiseviciute, more demanding customers choose specialized retailers, since they offer a wide selection of brands and professional products, as well as on-the-spot advice. She predicts that in the coming years, the role of specialized shops will become even stronger.
