The European pet industry is undergoing rapid expansion, projected to reach $131.3 billion (€121.6 billion) by 2025 and exceed $164.7 billion (€152.5 billion) by 2030, making up nearly a third of the global pet market. This growth presents a massive opportunity for pet brands and agencies looking to leverage retail media networks (RMNs) such as Amazon, Criteo, and Bol.com to enhance their advertising strategies across Europe.
To capitalize on this growth, it’s essential to understand the key trends shaping the European pet sector:
Key Trends Driving the European Pet Market
- Premiumization and Health-Focused Products: European pet owners are increasingly prioritizing their pets’ well-being, leading to a surge in demand for premium and functional pet foods. Products that are natural, organic, and tailored to specific health needs—such as digestive health, weight management, and allergy relief—are gaining traction as pet owners seek high-quality nutrition for their furry companions. This shift reflects the humanization of pets, a trend that continues to shape consumer spending habits.
- Sustainability and Innovation: Sustainability is a growing priority in the pet care industry, driven by younger consumers seeking eco-friendly products. This trend extends beyond pet food to biodegradable waste bags, sustainable bedding, natural shampoos, and eco-conscious toys. Pet owners increasingly favor brands with recyclable packaging, natural ingredients, and certified sustainable practices. Additionally, demand for carbon-neutral delivery and eco-friendly packaging is rising, reflecting a broader commitment to planet-friendly pet care.
- Technological Advancements: The European pet tech market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 20.7% from 2025 to 2034, driven by increased spending on pet care and the adoption of smart technologies. Products such as smart collars, health-tracking devices, and automated feeders are gaining popularity among tech-savvy pet owners, presenting lucrative advertising opportunities for brands targeting digitally engaged consumers.
- Market Consolidation and Investment: The European pet industry is witnessing increased merger and acquisition activity, with major players expanding their portfolios through strategic acquisitions. United Petfood has strengthened its market position with acquisitions of De Haan Petfood and Vital Petfood Group, enhancing its pet food production capabilities. Private equity and major corporations like Mars Petcare and Nestlé Purina are also investing heavily in pet food, veterinary care, and pet tech. This consolidation intensifies competition, making retail media and eCommerce essential for pet brands to differentiate and grow
- Regulatory Developments: For pet brands and agencies expanding in Europe, compliance with EU regulations is essential. These standards cover pet food safety, product labeling, and import/export requirements—critical factors to consider when launching or scaling a brand in the region.
How Retail Media Can Drive Growth for Pet Brands
With pet owners across Europe increasingly shopping online, retail media advertising offers brands and agencies a powerful way to capture demand and maximize sales across Europe’s leading marketplaces. Leveraging retail media networks across Europe like Amazon, Criteo, and Bol.com, brands and agencies can:
- Target high-intent pet shoppers with data-driven ad placements.
- Optimize campaigns with retail analytics for better performance.
- Scale across multiple European markets with localized strategies.
How Pacvue Helps Pet Brands Succeed across Europe
Looking to enhance your eCommerce strategy and boost your brand’s presence in Europe? Pacvue is the leading choice for pet brands, connecting commerce operations and retail media execution to maximize reach and effectiveness, standardizing measurement across global retailers in one single source of eCommerce truth.
Our suite offers:
- AI-Driven Advertising Optimization: Real-time ad optimization tools that maximize ROI by adjusting bids, identifying high-performing keywords, and targeting the right audience on marketplaces across Europe.
- Competitive Market Intelligence: Pacvue’s analytics suite provides insights into competitor pricing, market share, and emerging trends, helping brands make data-backed decisions for sustained growth.
- Regional Strategy Customization: Market-specific insights enable brands to tailor strategies for European regions, ensuring alignment with local consumer expectations and regulatory requirements.
- End-to-End Workflow Automation: From inventory management to ad performance tracking, Pacvue streamlines ecommerce operations, enabling brands to scale efficiently across multiple marketplaces.
How Pacvue Helped Nestlé Purina Maximise Sales During Prime Day
During a recent Amazon Prime Day, Nestlé Purina ran a large number of deals across their portfolio on Amazon UK. The brand looked to maximize its sponsored ads budget to generate sales and outpace the competition while maintaining efficiency. To help Nestlé Purina achieve their Amazon Prime Day advertising goals, the Performics@Zenith team leveraged Pacvue’s Budget Manager solution, alongside other powerful optimization features. As a result, Nestlé Purina saw an increase in ROAS by 79% during this period.
“By leveraging Pacvue’s technology with the strategic insights from the team at Performics, we have seen significant improvements in our Amazon performance. Utilising this specific budget strategy helped us to deliver our best ever Prime Day results and really set ourselves up for success for the upcoming events” - James Campbell, Search & Digital Performance Lead – Nestlé Purina
To lread the full case study, click here.
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Interested in taking your pet brand to the next level? Contact Pacvue today to explore how we can help your pet brand stand out and capture market share in the competitive European pet industry.
