National pet brands hold their ground in Europe and the Americas

The pet food market exhibits varying dynamics of concentration and competitiveness across 6 major markets in Europe, North America and Latin America.

A survey conducted by Yummypets, powered by Loop, in August 2025 among 3,081 pet owners in Brazil, Canada, France, Mexico, the UK and the US concluded that all countries show more competitive markets for dry pet food.

The research also identified the dry and wet food brands most commonly purchased by cat and dog owners.

Neck to neck

In the United Kingdom and Canada, the difference among the most-cited brands by respondents is very small.

For instance, Harringtons and Bakers lead the UK dog food market with 19% and 18% preference, respectively. And in Canada, Purina One and Whiskas lead with 20% and 18% in cat kibble.

In both countries, small brands grouped under the heading “others” together account for a higher share than any specific dog kibble brand.

Brand fragmentation

The same is seen in Brazil for both dog and cat categories. Among the cited brands, the national company Golden, from producer Premierpet, leads both the dog (27%) and cat (24%) food segments.

France shows a similar pattern of fragmentation regarding dry dog ​​food: first, there are others (34%), then Royal Canin (19%) and Pedigree (15%). In dry cat food, however, Purina One shows a clear preference, with 41% of the vote.

Mexico and the United States show a slightly greater difference between brands in both types of pet markets, although there is no leader as dominant as in France.

The most popular brands in Mexico are Dog Chow (37%) and Cat Chow (34%). And in the US, Purina One leads both dog (25%) and cat (29%) preferences.

Higher concentration

Regarding wet food, the picture is more varied, although the concentration is generally higher.

The British market is more competitive among dog brands, with the top 3 fluctuating between 29% and 27% of preference (notably Butcher’s, Lily’s Kitchen and Pedigree).

Cat owners, however, show a more concentrated preference for Felix and Whiskas, with 51% and 43% of preference, respectively – percentages much higher than those for the other competitors.

In France, on the other hand, the concentration is greater among dog food brands: while Pedigree is cited by 36% of respondents, smaller brands grouped under the heading “others” take second place (25%).

Among cat owners, 4 brands (Felix, Purina One, Gourmet and Whiskas) share between 31% and 34% of preference, showing a more competitive dynamic.

Pet owners in the United States and Canada exhibit very similar behaviors: a more evenly distributed preference among dog food brands, and a very strong concentration on 2 cat food brands. Fancy Feast and Friskies take the top 2 spots in both countries.

Mexico has a highly concentrated market for both dog food options, led by Dog Chow (53%) and Pedigree (49%), and cat food options, with Cat Chow (49%), Felix (45%) and Whiskas (41%) leading owner preferences.

In Brazil, this concentration is also seen, although to a lesser extent. Pedigree, the leader among wet dog foods, has been chosen by 49% of owners, and Dog Chow by 37%. Among cat owners, the top spots are shared between Whiskas, Friskies and Gran Plus, with 42% to 35% of owner preference.

Other trends

Among multinational companies, the country rankings also include national producers. In Brazil, beyond Premier, there are also the super-premium national food producer Guabi Natural and the premium brands Sabor & Vida and Faro.

In Mexico, there’s Nutec, a group focused on animal nutrition. And in the UK, national  brands such as the natural food producers Lily’s Kitchen (acquired by Nestlé in 2020), Harringtons and James Wellbeloved are well positioned with the respondents.

Private labels

Private labels also ranked in the United Kingdom, France, Canada and the United States, accounting for up to 11% in some categories.

The in-house brand pet food sector is flourishing – particularly in Europe, where it often commands higher market shares than other product categories.

Feeding preferences

Respondents from Europe and North America opt for a mix of wet and dry food, with the proportions ranging from 50.9% in France to 76.7% in the UK.

In Mexico and Brazil, a diet based solely on dry food is the most preferred, at 56.4% and 51.9%, respectively.

In all countries except the UK, a purely wet diet accounts for less than 5%. In the UK, the percentage is 10.5%.

But trends have been changing: over a quarter of respondents in France (27.1%) and the United States (28.5%), about a third in the United Kingdom (31%), Canada (31.5%) and Mexico (32.9%), and almost half in Brazil (48.1%) say they had changed the pet food they feed their pets over the last 3 months.