2.5% growth

The Italian market for pet food and care products reached a value of €5.3 bn in 2025 – a 2.5% increase compared with 2024. This was reported by Giorgio Massoni, President of Assalco, the National Association of Pet Food and Care Companies, at a Zoomark press conference held as part of Interzoo on 14 May in Nuremberg. According to Massoni, €4.2 bn of this figure is accounted for by dog and cat food (79% of the market), whilst 21% – or €1.1 bn – is accounted for by the pet care sector.  

The analysis for the 19th edition includes a significant new feature: for the first time, the market is examined from an omnichannel perspective in order to provide a more accurate picture of the market. In addition to the more than 4,500 independent pet shops surveyed, the analysis also covers wholesalers, specialist retail chains and e-commerce more comprehensively.

According to the figures, independent pet shops have achieved growth of 2.9%, whilst specialist retail chains such as Arcaplanet and pet departments within food retailers, with growth of 4.1%, are driving the specialist sector in particular. Supermarkets and hypermarkets, by contrast, recorded a slight decline in sales. The e-commerce channel has grown strongly and, at €483 mio, now accounts for 11.5% of the market share.

The value of dog and cat food rose by 2.7% compared with 2024, whilst sales volume increased by 1.3%. The segment thus confirmed its stability, achieving turnover of €4.2 bn across all channels and a volume of 811,000 tonnes (2022: €3.4 bn).

This year’s performance in value terms is part of a positive multi-year trend: the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the period 2022 to 2025 stood at 6.9%.

According to the report, this growth is largely driven by the increasing focus on pets and their wellbeing. This is evident in the higher demand for formulations containing functional ingredients, superfoods, grain-free and light products, as well as liquid cat treats to promote hydration and palatability; in the hygiene and animal health sectors, too, supplements and antiparasitic products are among the most dynamic segments.

In line with current trends, the market is primarily focused on cats: cat food remains the largest segment, accounting for 56% (€2.35 bn) of the market, and recorded growth of 4.3%. Wet cat food is growing particularly strongly, followed by cat treats.

Dog food, by contrast, is growing by just 0.7%, but remains a significant part of the overall market, accounting…