Germany Pet Industry
German Pet Market Overview
Germany has the European Union’s largest pet industry market, generating approximately USD 6.81 billion in revenue in 2023—a 9.5 percent increase from 2022. The industry is expected to grow to USD 8.4 billion by 2029.
As of 2023, 45 percent of German households have a pet and 14 percent of households have two pets or more. This totals to approximately 34.3 million pets.
Cats and dogs are the most popular house pets, with 25 percent of German households owning cats and 21 percent of households owning dogs in 2023. Other common pets include small mammals, ornamental birds, fish in aquariums and garden ponds, and reptiles, which combined represents 17 percent of pets living in German households.
In 2023, pet food accounted for 69.7 percent of German pet owner spending, generating approximately USD 4.8 billion. The second largest spending category was accessories, at USD 1.2 billion. Premium and economy grade products perform well in the country’s market. These include natural and organic goods, fresh food, sustainable or vegan products, and varieties ‘free-from’. German consumers value quality when making purchasing decisions for their pets.
Around 33 percent of German pet owners bought their pet supplies exclusively in specialty pet shops in 2023, but a growing number of pet owners are buying their goods online. About 7 percent of pet owners bought pet food and 11 percent purchased animal accessories exclusively online.
Market Access
U.S. exporters seeking to sell pet products in the EU must undergo a thorough assessment of, and ensure compliance with, existing European Commission directives, i.e. high-quality standards. Exporters are subject to tight requirements on product labeling, hygiene, certification, intermediate good sourcing, safety, and environmental impact. In addition, U.S. exporters are advised to comply with relevant directives and assess or obtain evidence thereof with relevant technical standards via an accredited consulting provider.
For U.S. exporters of pet food, please direct specific questions regarding the import of pet food to Germany to the USDA-FAS Berlin office at mailto:AgBerlin@usda.gov.
More information can be found on their website: https://fas-europe.org/countries/germany/
Overall, Germany remains open for new products and suppliers; opportunities exist for innovative products, services, and business models. New-to-market (NTM) companies must be prepared to face competition from locally established and globally operating companies. Successful market access strategies for NTM companies in most cases involves a local market presence which may involve one (or a combination) of the below options:
Strategic industry partnership with an established, local company: e.g. distribution partner
Sales representative/business development agency with an established network of local customers and contacts within the German & EU pet industry
Official legal subsidiary including marketing, technical sales and business development staff
Opportunities and Trends
German pet owners frequently buy online, reflected by USD 1.4 billion in pet-related e-commerce revenues in 2023. Pet owners rely on the convenience of eCommerce, such as utilizing the platform to have large, bulky, or hard-to-carry items delivered to their house.
German pet owners have begun to prefer high-end accessories, including luxury grooming products, illuminated leashes, energy-saving aquarium filtration and illumination systems, and nano-coated textiles. The humanization of pets has also become more popular as owners purchase more products like clothes, shoes, and coats for their pets.
The German pet wearable market—including gadgets designed to monitor pet health and GPS tracking devices—was valued at USD 1.9 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at 14.5 percent per year from 2023 to 2030.
Many German dog and cat owners choose to buy medical, injury, or liability insurance policies. Thus, pet insurance is another rapidly growing sector in Germany’s pet industry, valued at USD 887 million in 2022 and expected to grow at 16.4 percent per year until 2030. Ukraine has been an important grain supplier for European pet food brands. The war created some supply chain issues.
Challenges
The main restraining factors for U.S. exporters of pet products into Germany are the stringent regulations associated with pet food, accessories, and other related goods. For example, the pet food market in the European Union is not regulated by a specific piece of legislation. Rather, the EU has various legislations that address sub-sectors, including feed marketing. On top of EU laws and country-specific regulations, pet food exports are also subject to the EU’s veterinary legislation. Veterinary legislation also covers products of animal origin, hay and straw to minimize spreading animal diseases.
All pet-related exports to the EU must comply with regulations in terms of labeling, hygiene, animal health, certification, and use of additives where necessary. Additionally, Germany’s pet industry market is mature, highly sophisticated competitive, and relatively saturated.
Increasing cost of ownership for pets also represents a challenge for U.S. exporters into Germany. Surprisingly, inflation-induced price surges have decreased demand for lower- to middle-priced pet items, despite having a minimal effect on demand for premium products. Pets also represent a significant cost factor, disincentivizing many households from replacing deceased animals. Many pets are currently in danger of ending up in shelters due to the cost-of-living increases and consumers no longer being able to support their pets.
Relevant Trade Shows
Interzoo, 12-15, May 2026 in Nuremberg, Germany: https://www.interzoo.com/en
Interzoo is the world’s leading trade fair for the pet industry taking place every two years. Interzoo 2024 featured 2,100 exhibitors from 68 countries incl. 116 from the United States and had over 37,000 visitors from 160 countries. Interzoo 2026 is expected to further increase on these numbers.
Your U.S. Commercial Service Contact:
Doris Groot
Commercial Specialist
American Consulate General Munich
Königinstraße 5
80539 Munich
Phone: +49-89-2888-749, mobile +49-163-872-2753
E-Mail: mailto:Doris.Groot@trade.gov