Irish consumers are a nation of pet lovers, with ownership of cats and dogs high. The sense of happiness and wellbeing that pets can bring to a consumer’s life can see them willing to spend a considerable amount on food, accessories and pet cover.

Moving forward, a key factor for the market will be the impact that Brexit will have on pet spending and the types of pet food bought by consumers. Furthermore increasing concerns surrounding obesity in pets could see greater levels of health-oriented pet foods launched to the Irish market.

This Report also looks at owners’ concerns regarding their pets. This includes consumer data relating to types of pets owned, types of pet food used, accessories bought and insurance coverage.

The market size in this Report comprises estimated NI and RoI retail sales of pet food for cats and dogs through all retail channels. Please note that in some cases data has been unavailable thus estimates have been used based on UK spending on pet food and per capita ownership of pets.

Excluded from market size data is healthcare and accessories such as items for home grooming, collars, leashes, toys, chews, bedding, feeding equipment and litter, and over-the-counter flea/tick treatments and prescription medicines. Pets themselves as well as services for pets, such as boarding, grooming, training and veterinary services, and pet insurance are also excluded from the market size and from this Report.