Page 46 - PET worldwide issue 03/2022

Interzoo

A sector aiming to

become greener

The topic of sustainability will be an increasingly important
issue in the pet supplies sector in the future.

This was the conclusion that days to draw attention to climate extremely important in the next
emerged from a survey con- change and the pollution of the three years had increased by
ducted jointly by Interzoo organ- world’s oceans. The varied ses- 10 per cent this year compared
iser WZF and the Antwerp Man- sion was led by Dr Rowena Arzt, with 2018 to 90 per cent. Many
agement School (AMS) among exhibitions director of WZF. of those surveyed felt, however,
exhibitors and visitors at the that their own efforts to achieve
world-leading fair in Nuremberg. 195 survey respondents greater sustainability in a suit-
The results were presented by Of the 195 respondents in the able organisational form had
Ewald van den Auwelant, trans- latest survey, 55 per cent were yielded more progress so far
formation researcher at the AMS, exhibitors and 42 per cent visi- than the action taken hitherto
during a session on sustainabil- tors. Similar sustainability stud- across the entire pet sector.
ity at Interzoo. Other speakers ies were conducted in 2018 and The destruction of natural re-
sources as a consequence of ex-
cessive consumption and grow-
ing mountains of rubbish were
a particular source of concern
to many survey respondents. A
large number of them wanted to
adopt more recycling measures
and to instigate a circular econ-
omy. Another aspect that clearly
motivated many pet product
companies was the increasing
Photo: WZF, Thomas Geiger disruption of ecosystems due
to rising environmental pollu-
tion and land use. One solution

economic models in such a way
Ewald van den Auwelant of the Antwerp Management School presented the could be to modify established
results of a survey conducted this year among exhibitors and visitors on the that more emphasis was placed
topic of sustainability.
on protecting nature and the
environment. A number of ap-
included Anne Klein of the USA’s 2021. A comparison of the re- proaches to this problem already
Pet Sustainability Coalition and spective survey results showed existed, such as the growing in-
Belgian swimmer Fabien Ler- that the number of respondents terest in insects as a source of
oux, who swam 4 000 km solo who thought the topic of sustain- protein for pet food, greater use
across the Atlantic in under 50 ability would be considerably or of eco-friendly packaging and

46 PET worldwide 3|2022

PWW2022-03_Buch.indb 46 12.07.2022 09:22:04