Germany’s Pet Population Declines Slightly in 2025 — But Market Revenue Remains Stable

Germany’s pet landscape experienced a mild contraction in 2025, yet overall market revenue held steady thanks to strong food sales and resilient consumer spending. According to the German Pet Trade & Industry Association (ZZF) and the Industrial Association of Pet Care Producers (IVH), Germany recorded 33.4 million pets in 2025 (excluding fish and reptiles), with 43% of households owning at least one pet.

This marks a gradual decline from previous years:

2022: 34.4 million pets (46% of households)

2023: 34.3 million pets (45% of households)

2024: 33.9 million pets (44% of households)

2025: 33.4 million pets (43% of households)

The 2025 findings are based on a survey of 5,000 households combined with industry market data.

1. Ownership Dynamics: Who Owns Pets in Germany?

Pet ownership varies significantly by household size and age group.

By Household Size

26% of pets live in single-person households

35% in two-person households

39% in households with three or more people

By Age Group

60+ years: 25% of pet owners

50–59 years: 21%

30–39 years: 19%

40–49 years: 18%

29 and younger: 17%

Additionally:

67% of families with children own a pet

13% of households keep at least two different types of pets

This shows that Germany’s aging population continues to play a major role in pet ownership.

2. Pet Preferences: Cats Lead, Dogs Follow

Cats remain Germany’s most popular companion animals.

2025 Pet Population

Cats: 15.7 million

Dogs: 10 million

Small animals: 4.4 million

Birds: 3.3 million

Fish: 2.1 million

Terrariums: ~1 million

Cats live in 1 out of 4 households, while dogs are present in 1 out of 5.

Small animals, birds, and fish all saw slight increases, while terrariums declined marginally.

3. Pet Industry Revenue: Stable Despite Population Decline

Germany’s pet market remained steady at €6.99 billion ($8.2B) in 2025, only slightly below the €7 billion recorded in 2023 and 2024.

Revenue Breakdown (2025)

Pet food: €4.3B (+0.3% YoY)

Accessories: €1.1B (–4.6% YoY)

Brick‑and‑mortar sales: €5.3B

Online sales: €1.5B (+0.6% YoY; +26% vs. 2022)

Wild bird food: €134M

Food continues to anchor the market, while accessories experienced a noticeable decline.

4. Category Performance: Food Dominates, Accessories Shift

Pet Food

Cat food: €2.3B

Wet food: €1.6B

Dog food: €1.7B

Snacks: €768M

Bird, fish, small animal food: €204M

Food retail channels account for 66% of total sales, with the rest coming from specialized pet stores.

Accessories

Cat litter: €370M

Cat accessories: €230M

Dog accessories: €200M

Specialized retailers dominate the accessories segment with 76% market share.

Source:GlobalPETS