Page 31 - PET worldwide issue 03/2021

Definition products are also available to
But what is naturally produced them as an alternative; these
pet food? The definition most must be certified where possible
commonly heard is that natu- and provide clear information on
ral dog food consists of ingredi- the origin of the raw ingredients
ents that are derived unchanged used. Although organic products
from nature, contain no synthetic have been available on the mar-
substances and have not been ket for pets for some years, their
genetically modified. This has market share is still pretty mod-
considerable consequences for est. Vegetarian dog food and food
the process of manufacturing based on insect protein are still
the food. To ensure that no vita- waiting to make a breakthrough.
mins or other nutrients are lost, Supporters of these types of food
naturally produced food should are hoping for a boost from the Photo: Pixabay, BlackRiv
not be heated too strongly. Such pandemic and the associated
food can swell in the dog’s stom- collapse of many supply chains.
ach and cause disruption to the Slaughterhouse capacity has Fewer livestock were slaughtered globally during the pandemic.
metabolism. been markedly reduced in many This had an impact on the pet food industry.
Meat is one of the most impor- countries on account of the cor-
tant constituents of natural dog onavirus, the main reason be-
food. Proponents of this form ing the closure of abattoirs, with
of nutrition point to the fact that fewer animals being killed as a re-
even for the wolf, the dog’s rela- sult. This happened in the USA in
tive living in the wild, the main particular, where last year there Production and imports of
nutrition component is of ani- was a 45 per cent reduction in
mal origin. The wolf devours its pig processing capacity, mean- pet food increased
prey including skin and coat as ing about 250 000 pigs per day According to Eurostat data, production of packaged cat and dog
well as stomach contents, which were not slaughtered. The slaugh- food in the EU in 2020 increased by 3.2 per cent. The EU dog and
in herbivores are composed of ter of other livestock also declined cat food market grew notably to 12.6 bn dollars in 2020, surging
plant constituents. Natural dog significantly in many countries, re- by 8.7 per cent against the previous year. The countries with the
food thus also contains plenty of sulting in a substantial increase highest volumes of dog and cat food consumption in 2020 were
fruit, vegetables and herbs, but no in the cost of raw animal ingre- France (1.7 mio tonnes), Germany (1.3 mio tonnes) and Italy
grain or only very little. Since the dients. This development had a (953 000 tonnes), with a combined 46 per cent share of total
wolf normally opts only for one strong impact on the pet food in- consumption. Spain, Poland, Belgium, Romania, Portugal, Hun-
animal protein source per meal, dustry: on the one hand, a big rise gary, Austria, Sweden, Ireland and the Czech Republic lagged
most natural dog food products in the canine populations in many somewhat behind, together accounting for a further 44 per cent.
also resort to only one source of countries brought marked growth For the ninth consecutive year, the European Union recorded growth
protein. in demand, while on the other in overseas purchases of dog and cat food, which increased by
Critics of natural dog food point hand the effects of the pandemic 5.6 per cent to 4.7 mio tonnes in 2020. In value terms, dog and
out that terms such as “near-natu- led to a scarcity of raw materials cat food imports expanded markedly to 8 bn dollars in 2020. In
ral”, “natural” or “sustainable” are during this period. What happens value terms, Germany (1.6 bn dollars) constitutes the largest
not protected and offer little trans- when demand outstrips supply? market for imported dog and cat food in the European Union,
parency. It ultimately depends The price of pet food products comprising 21 per cent of total imports. The second position in
heavily on how clear the declara- rises. This is precisely what has the ranking was occupied by France (822 mio dollars), with a 10
tion list is as to whether nutrition- happened in the last few months, per cent share of total imports. It was followed by Poland, with a
ally aware consumers decide in and this trend is not expected to 9 per cent share.
favour of such a food. Organic change in the immediate future. n

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