Online channels reshape Italy’s pet industry

Italy’s overall pet food and pet care market reached a value of 5.3 billion euros in 2025, up 2.5% compared to 2024.

This emerged from the 19th edition of the Assalco-Zoomark Report, which this year introduces an important innovation: an omnichannel analysis that expands coverage of specialized chains and online sales channels.

Produced by Assalco, the industry association, the report offers the most accurate and updated overview of the Italian market and its key trends, along with an analysis of the increasingly important role pets play in families and society, CE Report quotes ANSA.

In 2025, the dog and cat food sector, the market’s main segment, was worth 4.2 billion euros and accounted for 79% of total sales. Pet care products — including accessories, hygiene and health products, litter, and food for small animals — reached 1.1 billion euros, representing the remaining 21%. Products for dogs and cats grew by 2.7% in value, while volumes reached 811,000 tons (+1.3%), confirming the sector’s strength.

The medium-term trend remains positive: between 2022 and 2025, the market recorded an average annual growth rate of 6.9%, two percentage points higher than the packaged consumer goods sector. The market increased from 3.4 billion to 4.2 billion euros during this period.

Specialized retail chains and e-commerce continued to strengthen their position. Online sales accounted for 11.5% of the market value, generating 483 million euros in revenue, while specialized chains and pet shops in large-scale retail represented 23.3% of the market. Overall, the specialized channel accounted for 1.7 billion euros in sales, up 3.6% compared to 2024 and equal to 40.9% of total sales. Supermarkets and hypermarkets declined by 1%, confirming a gradual shift away from traditional grocery channels.

Cat products remained the largest market segment, representing 56% of total value and generating 2.353 billion euros in revenue, with growth driven by wet food and snacks. Dog products reached 1.848 billion euros, accounting for 44% of the market, with more moderate growth.

Wet food remained the leading segment in omnichannel pet food sales, with more than 2 billion euros in sales and a 48% market share. Dry food reached 1.8 billion euros, while snacks and functional treats generated 409 million euros and became the fastest-growing segment, especially cat snacks.

The report also provided a more detailed picture of pets in Italian households. Pending the creation of a national registry, the updated estimate for companion animals in Italy is 53.6 million. Fish account for the largest share with 25.3 million, followed by 11 million cats and 9.1 million dogs. Birds, reptiles, amphibians, and small mammals also represent significant numbers.

The study found that 54.5% of Italian families live with at least one pet. The percentage rises to 66.7% among families with children, highlighting the important role pets play in family life.

The pet care market, including grocery, specialized stores, and online sales, reached 1.1 billion euros. Accessories and hygiene products for dogs and cats generated nearly 655 million euros, while cat litter sales reached 328.2 million euros.

ASSALCO President Giorgio Massoni said the sector’s growth confirms the increasing importance of pets in Italian households and reflects consumer demand for health, wellbeing, innovation, and quality products. He also renewed the association’s call to reduce VAT on pet food and veterinary care from 22% to 10%, describing it as a measure of social fairness for millions of Italian families.

PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA