Netherlands Pet Food - Market Share Analysis, Industry Trends & Statistics, Growth Forecasts 2017 - 2029

Cats dominated the market owing to its high population and availability of wide range of pet food options.

• In the Netherlands, there is an increasing trend in the pet population due to rising pet humanization, where pets are treated as family members. The country has witnessed a significant rise in its pet population, reaching 9.5 million in 2022, compared to 7.1 million in 2017. This increase in pet ownership has consequently increased the growth of the pet food industry in the Netherlands.
• The cat food market dominated the Netherlands' pet food market with a share of 43.4% in 2022. This can be attributed to cats having a significant share, as 34.8% of the country's pet population in 2022 comprised cats. Additionally, there is a growing preference for premium cat food products in the country, and the cat food market is projected to register a CAGR of 4.6% during the forecast period.
• Dogs have the second-largest market share in the Netherlands pet food market, accounting for a 30.5% share in 2022. However, this share is comparatively lower than that of cats, mainly due to the smaller dog population. In 2022, the number of pet dogs in the Netherlands was less than the 68.8% share held by pet cats. However, between 2017 and 2022, the pet dog population experienced an increase of 20.6%, which is anticipated to drive the dog food market.
• The other animals include birds, small mammals, rodents, and others. These animals have unique nutritional requirements that need to be fulfilled through specialized pet food products. In 2022, the other animals pet food segment reached USD 442.8 million.
• The increasing demand for premium pet products and the growing population of pets in the country are expected to drive the pet food market in the forecast period.

Netherlands Pet Food Market Trends

The easy adaptability of cats to smaller living places and their cultural symbolism have led to an increase in cat adoptions

• Cats are more popular in Europe, including the Netherlands, and the trend of cats holding a higher share than dogs is opposite to the global trend where dogs dominate cats. The higher share of cats is due to their adaptability to smaller living spaces than dogs. Cats are considered to be symbols of good luck or fortune and can stay indoors without feeling cooped up. These factors have also contributed to the cat population's growth, which increased by 26.9% between 2017 and 2022.
• There was a rise in the pet population during the pandemic, and the cat population increased by 6.4% between 2020 and 2022. People adopted more cats during the pandemic to have a companion at home to avoid loneliness. Cats are quieter than dogs, and during lockdowns, there was no need to take them on walks. The number of households owing a cat increased from 23% in 2019 to 25% in 2021. This trend is expected to be witnessed for more time due to the average lifespan of a cat being more than 20 years.
• Adoption of cats from family or friends and animal shelters and purchasing cats from a pet store are anticipated to be key acquisition channels for potential cat owners. For instance, in 2022, the adoption of cats from family or friends was 33.3%, and from animal shelters was 20%. Additionally, people buy cats after viewing an online ad of cats available for purchase, and these accounted for 20% in 2022. The family or friends have the highest share due to trust issues while purchasing or adopting from animal shelters.
• Factors such as cats being easily adaptable to small apartments and the culture of the country to own more cats are anticipated to help in the growth of the cat population, which is expected to help in the growth of pet food in the country during the forecast period.

The availability of customizable pet food options and a strong distribution network has led to an increase in pet expenditure

• There has been a steady increase in pet expenditure in the Netherlands over the last five years. Pet expenditure increased by 23.3% between 2017 and 2022 due to the increasing prices of pet food and growing concern about animal welfare. Dogs have a higher share of pet expenditure, and it accounted for 37.8% in 2022 because of higher prices of dog food than cat food, higher health problems in dogs compared to other pets, and a larger quantity of pet food compared to cats and other pets. Pet parents are feeding their pets customized pet food with high-nutrition and minimally processed pet food products.
• There has been a shift in the purchasing habits of pet parents owning a pet, especially after the pandemic, as pet parents are purchasing more pet food from online stores. However, offline stores remain popular among pet parents purchasing pet food due to the quality of the products available in these stores and the knowledge of the pet shop owners and employees helping in purchasing pet food products. Most dog owners prefer to buy pet products from pet stores, whereas cat owners prefer online stores for buying larger items and pet food products from supermarkets than from pet stores. For instance, in 2022, 29% of cat owners purchased pet products from supermarkets, and 21% of cat owners purchased pet products from pet stores.
• The rise in healthcare concerns among pet parents, growing spending on customizable pet food, and changes in spending through different channels for better quality products are the factors expected to help in increasing pet expenditure in the country during the forecast period.

Netherlands Pet Food Industry Overview

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