Italy’s pet economy exceeds €6.7 billion as services and specialist retail expand
Italian spending on companion animals exceeds €6.7 billion, supported by a €5.3 billion pet food and care market and €1.33 billion in dedicated services. The industry is seeking a reduction in value-added tax on pet food and veterinary care from 22% to 10%.
Pet food and care sales reach €5.3 billion
Italy’s pet economy has expanded beyond €6.7 billion as households spend more on food, healthcare, hygiene and an increasingly broad range of services for companion animals. Data from the 19th ASSALCO-Zoomark Report put the combined pet food and pet care market at €5.3 billion in 2025, up 2.5% from 2024.
Dog and cat food remained the industry’s largest segment, generating €4.2 billion and accounting for 79% of total pet food and care sales. Pet care products, including accessories, hygiene and health products, litter and food for small animals, contributed another €1.1 billion, or 21%.
Sales of dog and cat food increased by 2.7% in value, while volumes rose 1.3% to 811,000 tonnes. Over the medium term, the segment recorded a 6.9% compound annual growth rate in value between 2022 and 2025, rising from €3.4 billion to €4.2 billion.
Specialist chains and online sellers gain ground
Changes in retail channels are accompanying the market’s expansion. Specialist chains represented 23.3% of sales by value in 2025, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with 2022. E-commerce reached an 11.5% share, gaining 0.5 percentage points over the same period. Purchases through supermarkets and hypermarkets declined by 1%.
The market rests on a large household base. The ASSALCO-Zoomark report estimates that Italy has 53.6 million pets, pending the creation of a national registry. Fish form the largest population at 25.3 million, living in about 1.7 million aquariums. Italy also has an estimated 11 million cats, 9.1 million dogs, 4.1 million birds, 2.7 million reptiles and amphibians, and 1.4 million small mammals.
At least one pet lives in 54.5% of Italian households. The proportion rises to 66.7% among families with children and remains above 60% in households with children older than 20, supporting recurring demand for food, care products and services.
Services rise 76% over a decade
Beyond products, a 2026 Confartigianato report based on Istat and Ispra data values dedicated pet services at €1.33 billion, a 76% increase over 10 years. The category includes boarding, dog and cat sitting, daycare, training, grooming and newer offerings such as pet bakeries, swimming pools and cemeteries.
More than 5,800 businesses operate in the sector. The artisan segment devoted to pet care has grown by 92.3% since 2016, indicating that spending is spreading from mass-market necessities into labour-intensive local services.
Industry seeks lower VAT
ASSALCO and animal welfare, consumer and veterinary associations are renewing their request for Italy to reduce value-added tax on pet food and veterinary care from 22% to 10%. ASSALCO President Giorgio Massoni described the proposal as a social-equity measure reflecting the role of pets in millions of Italian households.
A tax reduction would directly affect pricing across the sector’s largest recurring expense categories. For manufacturers, retailers, veterinarians and pet owners, the policy debate comes as food volumes continue to grow and service providers capture a larger share of household spending.
