EU Pet Owners represent 49% of European households, roughly 139 million homes, spanning all 27 member states, with Germany, France, Spain, and Italy as the largest markets. Cats are the most common companion animal (26% of pet-owning households) followed closely by dogs (25%), together accounting for the majority of the €33.7 billion European pet food industry. EU pet owners broadly mirror the wider European consumer in valuing sustainability, with 94% of EU consumers rating environmental protection as important, a sentiment that is driving strong growth in premium, functional, and ethically sourced pet food.
Geographic region (top pet owning markets by population)
- Germany22%
- France18%
- Spain14%
- Italy13%
- Poland8%
- Netherlands6%
- Other EU countries19%