Other Pet Food in Portugal

PROSPECTS

Bird food is the only category to register positive growth, mainly due to the number of pigeon fanciers

With the numbers of reptiles and fish being kept as pets in decline and the small mammal pet population static, sales are declining in fish food and small mammal/reptile food, leaving bird food as the only other pet food category to record positive sales growth in 2019. Indeed, Portuguese consumers are investing more in their pet birds than ever before, even on products that enhance the colour of birds’s feathers and claim to make them fly faster, with spending on bird food in Portugal higher than the equivalent measure in neighbouring Spain.

Fish food remains a difficult category to crack at a time of declining sales

With public interest in having aquariums and keeping pet fish waning, fish food offers diminishing returns for the companies present. Moreover, fish food has always been a fairly difficult pet food category to navigate, certainly more so than cat food or dog food, and this is because feeding fish is much more a precise science that involves more than merely presenting the animals with food and waiting for them to consume it.

Small mammal/reptile food suffers from lack of interest in these pets

With Portugal’s small mammal pet population remaining static and with the numbers of pet reptiles in decline, companies present in small mammal/reptile food have been forced to become creative in order to continue appealing to consumers and maintain sales. This has led to the appearance of value-added products, specifically those which are more natural and functional, in line with prevailing global trends across pet food.

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Vitakraft maintains its leading position as all players struggle to record sales growth

The general lack of dynamism in other pet food meant that there were no major changes seen in the competitive environment in 2018. Vitakraft remained the leading company as it continued to benefit from strong consumer awareness of its wide range of products in bird food and small mammal/reptile food.

Versele-Laga responds to flagging sales with the rebrand of Nature

Towards the end of the review period, Versele-Laga sought to revitalise flagging sales with the relaunch of its key brand Nature, giving it new packaging and a fresh new look. In addition, the brand’s content has been reviewed, with improvements made to the composition and form of the brand’s small mammal food.

Fish food companies like Sera react to flagging demand with new value-added products

With Portugal’s pet fish population still in decline, the leading players in fish food have been forced to act to remain relevant and arrest falling sales. The companies behind leading brands Sera and Tetra have remained positive, not least because the fact that keeping aquariums and pet fish is so unfashionable that those who continue to keep fish are more likely to be genuine enthusiasts who are strongly engaged with their hobbies, making them more inclined to spend money on their aquatic pets.

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