The Italian pet food market is still growing, worth 2 billion euros - Lifestyle

A market, pet food, worth over 2 billion euros and a 1 to 1 ratio between the Italian population and pets, with an estimated 60.3 million pets: 29.9 million fish, 12, 9 million birds, 7.3 million cats, 7 million dogs, 1.8 million small mammals, 1.4 million reptiles. These are the numbers of the 13th edition of the Assalco - Zoomark Report, which photographs the feeding and care of pets every year. Pet food in particular is confirmed as a growing market, + 2.8% compared to 2019, intended as the sum of the main sales channels (Grocery, Traditional Petshop and Petshop Chains) for a total of 556,424 tons sold. 
The majority (58%) of pet owners live in an apartment, emerges from the study presented in collaboration with Zoomark International - the international b2b exhibition of pet products and equipment organized by BolognaFiere. 55% have children or teenagers in the family, regardless of the species of pet they host. It is interesting to note that the percentage rises up to 73% in houses where there is a small mammal, such as rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, ferrets, rodents. According to the report, the families of pet owners are composed, on average, of a higher number of members than the national average: they have an average of 3.4 components, considerably higher than the 2.3 components of the Italian national average.
Among the trends that emerged this year is that of not being limited to the possession of a single animal: among the owners interviewed, in fact, the average is 2.16 pets owned. The attention to the well-being of the pet is regardless of the species and the type of products that are purchased: we tend to 'spoil' our pets and whether it is about feeding (industrial food packaged for 96, 97%) accessories (especially those that promote the autonomy of dogs and cats and their mental development), hygiene, snacks and the Internet is the first information channel for evaluating and comparing products before buying.
The innovation in the world of accessories also passes through electronic devices that provide help to the pet owner by taking advantage of technology: this year the trend towards the purchase of self-cleaning cat litters, electronic comb for cleaning is very strong. of the hair and the elimination of parasites, collars with GPS for fido and cat.
In the report there is also a focus on the topicality of this period. Confirms and amplifies all the known benefits, that is, that pets contribute to the owners' joy and well-being, especially in times of stress such as those we are experiencing. In the absence of symptoms related to Covid-19 and if you are not in home isolation, spending time with your pet and accompanying your dog in the daily outing (in compliance with the regulations) helps to keep both healthy. It should also be remembered that there is no evidence that pets play a role in the spread of SARS-CoV-2. On the contrary, it has been found that some animals have been accidentally infected by the owners, becoming de facto innocent "victims". To protect them, the international bodies that have dealt with the issue recommend avoiding effusions and respecting basic hygiene measures.