The French pet industry increased turnover in 2023, with e-commerce booming

The French pet food industry reported a turnover of €4.7 billion ($5.1B) in 2023, an 11.9% increase compared to 2022.

According to a new report from the French Federation of Food Manufacturers for Dogs, Cats, Birds and other pets (FACCO), the country sold 1.17 million tons of pet food products in 2023. Dry food led sales (826,100 tons), followed by wet food (323,450 tons). 

As many as 8 out of 10 pet food products sold in France were manufactured domestically.

French pet food manufacturers produced 1.82 million tons of pet food last year, nearly half (49%) for export. According to FACCO, the trade of pet products with third countries generated a surplus of over €1 billion ($1.08B).

The trade association reported investments totaling €230 million ($249.6M) in product and production technology research in 2023. This marks a significant increase from €180 million ($195.3M) in 2022 and €164 million ($178M) in 2021.

Pre-covid numbers

There were 75.1 million pets in France in 2023, a similar amount to 2020 (75 million). However, the number of pets has increased by more than 1 million compared to 2022. 

Fish are the most popular pets, with 29.8 million in the country, an increase of 700,000 since 2022.

They are followed by cats (16.6 million), dogs (9.9 million), small mammals and birds (3.7 million each). Terrarium pets accounted for 2.5 million.

It is believed that 61% of French citizens owned a pet last year.

Retail channels

The FACCO report concludes that French cat owners spent €316 ($343) on their pets last year, while dog owners spent €490 ($531).

Supermarkets and hypermarkets are the preferred purchasing channel, with 70% of cat owners and 52% of dog owners buying their pet supplies there. Specialized pet stores and garden centers follow (32% vs. 49%).

E-commerce is the third most popular channel, with 29% of dog owners and 21% of cat owners using it. This purchasing channel registered a considerable increase compared to 2022, with 13.1% more dog owners and 10.8% more cat owners in France purchasing pet supplies online. 

Feeding preferences

Commercial pet food was the top choice for both dog (85%) and cat (95%) parents. 

Homemade food followed (8% for dogs, 3% for cats), while a mix of the 2 ended up in third position (7% for dogs, 2% for cats).

Over 85% of dog and cat owners in France fed their pet companions kibble. Treats were the second most bought food product for dog owners (52%) and third for cat owners (37%). 

Following kibble, cat parents preferred to offer their furry friends fresh or wet food (54%), while this was the fourth choice for dog owners (23%), with the third choice being table scraps (37%).