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Report
en_GB
74% of German pet owners consider themselves 'parents' to their pet(s), reinforcing the shift towards pet humanisation and raising expectations for brands to deliver both…
Germany
Pets
Marketing and Advertising
simple
Germany Marketing to Pet Owners: 2026
"Strong emotional attachment and a growing desire for pet longevity will promote a shift towards proactive health prevention. Brands can unlock growth by framing supplements as the foundation of everyday pet care."
Dr. Jennifer Hendricks, Principal Analyst - Consumer Lifestyles, Germany
74% of German pet owners consider themselves ‘parents’ to their pet(s), reinforcing the shift towards pet humanisation and raising expectations for brands to deliver both emotional resonance and functional performance. This mindset enables greater willingness to invest, particularly in products that visibly support long-term health and wellbeing.
Despite cost-of-living pressures, the German pet market proved resilient in 2025, reaching €6.99bn in total sales. However, spending is becoming increasingly polarised: essential categories such as pet food and health are protected, while discretionary categories such as accessories suffer.
Looking ahead, preventive health and wellness represent the largest growth opportunities: 55% of pet owners already have a health insurance for their pets and 60% believe pet supplements play an important role in safeguarding pet health. However, persistent inflation – combined with high vet costs and a 36% rise in cat and dog food prices since 2020 – is intensifying price sensitivity and accelerating downtrading to private label.
To compete effectively, brands must balance affordability with value by offering proof-backed benefits, reinforcing everyday relevance and embedding loyalty early in the pet ownership lifecycle.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Types of pets owned and plans to get a pet
Spending on pet-related products and services
Purchase channels when buying products for pets
Main drivers for switching from one pet product brand to another
Behaviours regarding pet health and most important factors when choosing a pet health and wellness product
Collapse All
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
Outlook for the German pet market
Opportunities
Help pet owners embed health prevention in daily routines
Unlock the ‘new pet’ spending surge
Expand private label portfolios to promote customer loyalty among price-sensitive pet owners
MARKET FACTORS
Cost-of-living pressures are mounting once again
The German pet market shows resilience in uncertain times
Germany’s pet health system: high medical standards but rising cost pressure
New evidence on the deepening emotional bond between consumers and their pets
THE CONSUMER
Pet ownership and plans to get a pet
Prioritise younger generations to capture accelerating pet ownership growth
Graph 1: pet ownership, by generation, 2023 vs 2026
Cats remain the most popular pets in Germany
Target younger men as a fast-growing cat owner segment to unlock acquisition growth
Graph 2: cat ownership, by gender and age, 2023 vs 2026
Highlight the benefits of multi-cat households
Graph 3: number of types of pets, 2026
Focus on today’s pet owners to capitalise on future growth potential
Graph 4: plans on getting a pet in the next 12 months, by pet ownership, 2026
Spending on pet products and services
Most pet owners put their animals first
Target Millennials to capture higher-value, multi-category pet spending
Graph 5: consumers who spend more than €200 on average on pet food and pet products/services per month, by generation, 2026
Re-engage Gen Z to reverse declining spend on pet supplies
Graph 6: consumers who have spent money on pet supplies in the last 12 months, by generation, 2023 vs 2026
Activate Gen Z growth through social commerce, co-creation and premium moments
A sweet spot for pet supplements
Purchase channels when buying products for pets
Pet specialist retailers need to leverage their leadership to defend share and drive category growth
Capitalise on pet owners’ multichannel shopping
Graph 7: number of purchase channels consumers use when buying products for their pet(s), 2026
Grocery retail: entice cat dads with one-stop shopping
Graph 8: where dog and cat owners typically buy products for their pet(s), by selected channels, 2026
Expand everyday retail pet assortments to capture urban cat owners
Main drivers for switching from one pet product brand to another
German pet owners are typically quite loyal…
…but the high cost of living strains the pet budget
Expand private label ranges to retain older generations
Graph 9: selected main factors that would make consumers switch from one pet product brand to another, by generation, 2026
Tailor pricing and messaging by category to reduce brand switching
Graph 10: selected main factors that would make consumers switch from one pet product brand to another, by purchase of selected pet products/services in the last 12 months, 2026
Win through word-of-mouth at the ‘new pet moment’
Behaviours regarding pet health and most important factors when choosing a pet health and wellness product
Capitalise on growing health concerns to drive demand for preventive solutions
Graph 11: selected pet health issues pet owners are concerned about, 2025
Accelerate growth by positioning supplements as core preventive care
Count on pet supplements to address pet health concerns
Recent international market launches in the pet supplement category that can serve as inspiration
Justify premium pricing with proof-led claims to win high-spend consumers
Graph 12: consumers for whom proven effectiveness would be one of the most important factors when choosing a pet health and wellness product, by total spent on their pet(s) per month, 2026
INNOVATION AND MARKETING
Wolt and Fressnapf scale omnichannel pet care
REWE accelerates ZooRoyal’s expansion
Das Futterhaus expands private label portfolio
Rising veterinary costs drive demand for more flexible payment options
Lufthansa subsidiary ITA Airways tests in-cabin travel for larger pets
Pawternity leave remains a niche benefit in Germany, but recent developments in Italy highlight its growing relevance in Europe
APPENDIX
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology
CHAID analysis
Germany’s generation groups
Abbreviations
A note on language
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