During the ongoing pandemic in 2020, pet dog populations grew in several European nations while declining in others, according to data from the European Pet Food Federation (FEDIAF). Russia maintained its position with the highest pet dog population in Europe, although part of the country (with its dogs) lies in Asia. Dog ownership increased most in Italy and the Netherlands. At the same time, the pet dog populations declined in the United Kingdom and Spain.
Overall, 88 million households in Europe owned a pet in 2020, or 38% of all households. That breaks down into approximately 110 million cats, 90 million dogs, 52 million birds, 30 million small mammals, 15 million aquaria and 9 million reptiles in Europe. Sales of food for those pets reached EUR21.8 billion, with a 2.8% growth rate. By volume, companies sold 8.5 billion metric tonnes of pet food products in 2020.
|
Nation |
2019 Dog Population |
2020 Dog Population |
Percentage Change |
|
Russia |
16,800,000 |
17,100,000 |
2% |
|
Germany |
10,100,000 |
10,700,000 |
6% |
|
United Kingdom |
9,000,000 |
8,500,000 |
-6% |
|
Italy |
7,011,000 |
8,300,000 |
16% |
|
France |
7,600,000 |
7,500,000 |
-1% |
|
Spain |
6,733,000 |
6,733,097 |
0% |
|
Romania |
4,150,000 |
4,150,000 |
0% |
|
Czech Republic |
2,000,000 |
2,200,000 |
9% |
|
Portugal |
2,050,000 |
2,080,000 |
1% |
|
Hungary |
2,050,000 |
2,050,000 |
0% |
|
Netherlands |
1,690,000 |
1,950,000 |
13% |
Map of European pet food production facilities in 2020
Dog, cat and other pet food production facilities operate across Europe, from Vafo Group in Estonia to C&D Foods in Spain. Petfood Industry’s Top Companies Current Data includes 42 pet food and treat production facilities with addresses listed in Europe. Those pet food producers appear in the Google Map embedded below.
10 top pet food companies headquartered in Europe
Most of the 10 top pet food companies headquartered in Europe, as ranked by 2020 revenue, were different as compared to the prior year's rankings, with only four companies out of the top 10 remaining in the same ranking position. The June edition of Petfood Industry, featuring its annual Top Pet Food Companies report, highlights the top pet food companies from around the world. While companies headquartered in the U.S. dominate the top of the overall world rankings, European-based companies also feature prominently.
