Croquettes, pies for cats, treats... Food for our four-legged friends has seen its prices soar in recent months.
The animal would even be on the podium of the most inflationary departments according to the panelist Nielsen IQ, behind frozen and fresh products.
Year on year, cat and dog food would have increased by just over 17% in March 2023.
As a result of rising prices, animal protection associations fear that individuals will abandon their companions more, for lack of means.
The Society for the Protection of Animals (SPA) has noted a 15% increase, over the first three months, in the number of pets abandoned and collected in their shelters.
Since January, around 8,800 animals have been affected.
"
In addition to abandonments, there are no more adoptions
", notes Jacques-Charles Fombonne, the president of the SPA, "
our animals stay longer in our shelters, we have gone from 51 to 56 days on average
".
Financial reasons are a major barrier to the adoption of pets, according to an Opinionway study conducted for the SPA.
7% of French people have no pets or adoption plans for financial reasons, and 3% for reasons related to inflation and the cost of living.
“
We are quite worried
”, confirms the president of the SPA, “
we have nearly 6,500 animals at the moment in our shelters, while we have around 7,500 places, and that the phenomenon of abandonment before the summer holidays '
".
Why such an increase in the price of croquettes and pies for cats?
Like all sectors of distribution, the animal department is not spared by inflation.
Maxi Zoo, a brand specializing in animal feed, acknowledges having increased their selling prices by 20% on average.
Rise in the cost of energy, raw materials (cereals and meat), transport, etc. “
Animal feed is particularly energy-intensive
,” says Dimitri Arsale, corporate communications manager for Maxi Zoo France.
Some categories are more affected than others: “
Croquettes are among the products that increase the most
”.
To support the purchasing power of their customers, the brand has had to cut back on its margins and organizes promotional campaigns every month.
"
We felt a change in consumption
," he explains, "
customers prefer essential purchases to sweets and other accessories such as toys
."
Consumers therefore prefer to stop or postpone small pleasure purchases.
Some choose to change range to benefit from lower prices.
But "
many tell us that they want to keep their range of kibble because it corresponds well to their animal
" he observes.
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The SPA fears a drop in donations
In the SPA shelters alone, the average cost of an animal has gone from just over 600 euros to almost 950 euros.
In addition to the increase in the price of food for our furry friends, specific animal welfare products such as litter or simply toys are affected.
Shelters are also facing rising costs, which concern all reception establishments: the increase in the cost of electricity, water and even staff, specifies the president of the SPA.
Another fear raised by the association for the protection of animals: the drop in donations with the decrease in purchasing power of the French.
Subject to the 1901 law, the SPA does not benefit from subsidies from the state.
The organization works mainly on donations for the costs related to its operation.
"
We are sounding the alarm, we need everyone,
" says Jacques-Charles Fombonne.
The SPA is therefore organizing open days on May 13 and 14, and hopes to be able to find a real home for more than 1,000 companions.