According the Belgian trade association Comeos, 53% of all Belgians will keep a pet in 2022. In 2018, this number was only at 10%. A research revealed a value of €3.5 billion.
1.3 million pet owners are parents of 1.6 million dogs. This leads to a dog food sale of €731 million in Belgium. “It is estimated that the growth in the number of dogs alone generated €62 million in additional expenditure on dog food,” the research said.
Another consequence is, that Belgian citizens spend more money on pet food, toys or medicine. Pursuant to Comeos, pet owners spend €549 per year only on dog food each. Most Belgian dog owners have a Chihuahua, then Maltese and Shih Tzu.
Although, the research could only ascertained that 2.3 million pet cats are owned by Belgians, Comeos gives reason to keep in mind, “It is important to note that nearly 40% of cats are not yet microchipped.”
Over the past four years, the pet industry has increased by 11% per year.
Another strong increase could be noticed in e-commerce which increased from 28% in 2018 to 45% in 2022. Indeed, 2 out of 10 only use online platforms for pet food purchasing.
The researchers also recognized pet services becoming more popular. Nearly half of the dog owners and 25% of cat owners use those services on a regular basis.
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