Country report: the Philippines – A growing force in Asia’s pet market

The pet premiumization trend is fueling the industry in the Philippines, with more owners willing to spend on food and other essentials. For 2025, Euromonitor International’s forecast for pet food retail sales is $407.4 million (€346.8M), ranking the country 10th out of 46 in the Asia-Pacific region.

Dogs, cats… and fish

According to Euromonitor data for 2025, 48.3% of Filipino households own a dog or cat – 40.8% are dog owners and 7.5% have cats. This has grown considerably in the past 4 years, from 11.9 million households in 2021 to 14.2 million in 2025. The total pet population in the country in 2025 is estimated to be 68.1 million, up 15.1% since 2021. Fish represent the biggest number of pets (43.9 million), followed by dogs (21.3 million) and cats (2.74 million). Other pets kept – in much smaller numbers – are birds, small mammals and reptiles.

The largest increase seen over the past 4 years is in the cat population, with 5.2% growth (CAGR) compared to 2021. Dogs (4.7%) and fish (3%) follow. For the next 5 years, the country’s pet population is expected to increase but at a slightly slower pace (3.1%). Cats will continue to lead growth (3.3%), but dogs are expected to close the growth gap (3.2%).

Shopping preferences

Sales of pet food in the Philippines are mainly through a range of retail channels, with just 10% via veterinary clinics. Euromonitor data indicates a gradual shift to online shopping between 2021 and 2025, with pet e-commerce increasing its market share by about a quarter (26.3%). But offline purchases still have 83.2% of the market.

Within grocery retail, small local stores are gaining in importance, especially among budget-conscious consumers. They provide affordable, repackaged products sold by weight, alleviating some of the recent price pressures, and now have a 15.6% market share, up from 13.6% in 2021.

Tracking pet food imports

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority shows that, in 2023, the country imported 176 million kg of dog and cat food worth $200 million (€170M). According to Global Trade Tracker, dog and cat food imports in the Indo-Pacific region (40 countries) reached $3.81 billion (€3.25B) in 2024. The Philippines represented $226.9 million (€193.5M), 6% of regional share, and it was the region’s seventh-largest importer.

Buying from overseas

In the period 2020-2024, the Philippines registered the highest annual growth rate in pet food imports (18.6% CAGR) of all the countries in the Indo-Pacific region. Interestingly, major economies in the region such as Indonesia (9.5%), South Korea (5.6%) and Japan (2.7%) have recorded lower growth in recent years. The US currently holds a 26% share of the Philippine market for imported pet food, according to the International Trade Administration, a US Department of Commerce body.

Other major exporters to the Philippines are Thailand (36%), the EU (15%), Australia (12%) and China (11%). The country’s top suppliers of dog and cat food also include South Africa, Malaysia, Vietnam and Canada. With the figures indicating consistent growth in consumers and imports, the Philippine pet market is a regional player to watch.