Interconnection Consulting, a leading market research institute, has released its latest study “Customer Insight – Pets in Europe 2023”.

The study reveals that despite geographical proximity and cultural ties in Europe, significant differences exist in brand awareness and brand preferences for food, food accessories, pet care products and toys. While Austria leads in brand awareness for cat and dog food, brand awareness is lowest in Switzerland.

This study is based on a comprehensive survey of 2,000 pet owners of dogs, cats and birds from Germany, Austria, Italy and Switzerland, focusing on pet food, food accessories, pet care products and toys.

Brand Awareness of cat and dog food highest in Austria at 92% (cat food) and 87% (dog food)

A key finding of the study is that brand awareness for cat and dog food varies significantly across different countries. Notably, in Italy, brand awareness for cat food is with 92% highest, while it is lowest in Switzerland. The brand Whiskas has achieved the highest brand awareness for cat food in Austria with impressive free recall values of 64% and also landed at the top in Germany with a free recall of 53%.

A similar pattern emerges for dog food, although brand awareness is lower in all countries than for cat food. Austria leads here with the highest brand awareness of 87%, while Switzerland ranks last again.

The best-known dog food brand in Austria and Germany is Pedigree, with brand awareness of 40% and 30% respectively, while Monge Dog leads in Italy and Royal Canin in Switzerland.

Italy Emerges as European Leader in Online Pet Product Purchases

The study also shows interesting differences in the purchasing behavior and place of purchase of pet products in the various countries.

For example, Italy has emerged as the frontrunner in online pet product purchases, with an impressive 39% of pet owners opting for digital platforms to fulfill their pets’ needs.

This finding highlights the increasing importance on online stores such as those of producers, retailers specialized in pet products as well as universal retailers such as Amazon for the convenience and time saving.

Contrastingly, Austria exhibits the lowest percentage of online purchases among the surveyed countries, standing at 30%. This disparity underscores the diversity in consumer behavior across Europe and emphasizes the significance of understanding regional nuances in the pet industry.

The European Buyer of Pet Products is Not in Sight

The study emphasizes that Europe still exhibits a variety of market differences when it comes to pet products and underscores that brand strategies must vary significantly in different countries. Companies operating in this sector should carefully consider regional preferences and brand awareness to successfully establish themselves in various European markets.

Panorea Kaskani, author of the study, emphasized the relevance of these findings for companies: “Our research shows that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for pet products in Europe. Brands need to be aware of how different the markets are and adapt their strategies accordingly to succeed.”

22/05/2024

Copyright: Interconnection, Publication free of charge for coverage regarding the study and InterConnection Consulting.