Pet supplies lead e-commerce revenue in Germany
Sales in the category increased by 6.4% in 2022, while online transactions for the rest of the sectors dropped in the country.
New data from the German E-commerce and Distance Selling Trade Association (bevh) concluded that online pet supply purchases accounted for €1.86 billion ($2B) in 2022. The previous year’s online sales reached €1.75 billion ($1.88B).
The pet supply category registered the biggest yearly increase, with 6.4%, followed by medication (3.5%) and groceries (1.3%).
In 2021 German online shoppers spent €99.1 billion ($106.3B), while 2022 saw a decrease in expenditure to €90.4 billion ($96.97B). This is 8.8% less.
Spending on shoes (-16.6%), book/e-books/audiobooks (-12.8%), and clothing (-12.8%) dropped more severely in e-commerce between 2021 and 2022, according to bevh.
Still a long way to go
The association said that online transactions for services “are still a long way” from reaching the level of the pre-corona years, with a deficit of 42.2% compared to 2019.
“The noticeable reluctance to buy, especially for things that are not immediately necessary, shows the current insecurity of people combined with the increased cost of living,” Gero Furchheim, bevh President, commented.
Furchheim projected that if consumer confidence improves, e-commerce “will continue to grow above average.”
According to the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF), Germany has the most cats and dogs in Europe, totaling 27 million.
You can find a 2024 overview of the German pet industry, including the latest data and trends, here.
