France has lost 1 million pets since 2020

According to the French federation of food manufacturers for dogs, cats, birds and other pets (FACCO), pet food manufacturers reported a turnover worth €4.2 billion ($4.5B) last year. This is a 7.6% increase from 2021, when they posted €3.9 billion ($4.1B).

France sold 368,970 tons of wet products for dogs and cats and 848,220 tons of dry products across all animal categories in 2022. More than half the production (53%) was exported.

Data included in the association’s 2023 annual report reveals that the French pet industry created 6,850 direct jobs last year, a decrease of 450 from the 7,300 initiated in 2021.

French pet food manufacturers invested €180 million ($193M) in 2022 to improve their products and technology in production facilities. The amount is up from €164 million ($175.8M) in 2021.

Fewer pets 

The FACCO data also reveals that 50% of French households own a pet, and most (43.5%) have at least a cat or a dog.

There are now 74 million pets in France, mainly fish (29.1 million). In 2020, pets accounted for 75 million nationwide.

The data suggests that the number of cats has dropped by 1.3% to 14.9 million in 2022 (15.1 million in 2020). The dog population has increased by 1.3% to 7.6 million (7.5 million in 2020).

Fowls (11.2 million), birds (5.8 million), small mammals (2.8 million) and terrarium animals (2.1 million) complete the list of most popular pets in France.

Pre-pandemic levels 

According to the trade association, the “real enthusiasm” of owning a pet during the pandemic did not materialize in 2022.

The current inflationary environment and the cost increase in owning a pet are holding back new pet parents.

Since 2020, the number of citizens that decided not to become pet owners because of the costs increased by 5 points in dogs and 4 points in cats.

Retail channels

Most pet parents feed their pets dry food: 97.5% (cats) and 95.1% (dogs).

More than 4 out of 10 cat owners (5.5% more than in 2020) and 62% of dog owners (6.5% more than in 2020) give their pets snacks and treats.

In 2022, 71.2% of cat owners and 47.9% of dog owners used supermarkets and hypermarkets as the main purchasing channels for pet supplies.

After strong growth in 2020, sales in specialized pet stores and on the Internet are stabilizing. According to the figures, 15.9% of French dog owners and 11.8% of cat owners bought online in 2022.

You can find a 2024 overview of the French pet industry, including the latest data and trends, here.