Note: This report includes forecasting data that is based on baseline historical data.
Executive summary
The pet population in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has increased by around 10,000 animals each from 2016 to 2020, with the large dog population growing fastest, by around 6,000 animals.
Total retail sales of dog food increased 12.4% annually from 2016 to 2020, lead by premium dry dog food, which increased 15.1%, followed by premium wet dog food (9.6%).
Total retail sales of cat food increased 11.2% annually from 2016 to 2020, lead by mid prices dry and wet cat food. Wet cat food accounts for 68.9% of all cat food sales in the UAE.
In addition to pet "humanization", demand for healthier products is also driven by the country's new pet protection law designed to protect against pet abandonment and maltreatment, primarily by nomadic expatriates.
Foreign companies (Mars, Nestlé) dominate the dog and cat food categories in the UAE, making up over 50% of retail sales over 2016-2020, mainly because consumers know and trust these brands from their home countries.
In 2020, hyper markets (32.0%) and pet shops (29.3%) sold the most dog and cat food in UAE. Ecommerce also performed well with a 14.3% share, an increase of 61.0% over 2019.
The UAE is a growing export market for Canadian dog/cat food, by 6.2% annually during 2016-2020, Canada's exports of pet food to UAE are valued at Can$855K (2020). From 2016 to 2020, Ontario has been the largest exporter at 80.6% of total exports, followed by Alberta (18.1%), and New Brunswick (1.3%).
New product launches in the UAE are focused on dog snacks and treats, followed by wet cat and dog food, lead by adult, no additives/preservatives, and vitamin/mineral fortified claims.
Dog and cat population and ownership
The dog and cat populations in the UAE increased by around 10,000 animals each from 2016 to 2020, with the large dog population growing fastest, by around 6,000 animals. The dog and cat populations are forecast to slightly decrease from 2021 to 2026. There are twice as many cats as there are dogs in the UAE. Cats are the UAE's preferred pet, as approximately twice as many households in the UAE own cats. Small dogs are the most common dogs in the UAE, partly due to the fact that many shopping centres, parks and restaurants allow small dogs onto their premises. As most people in the UAE live in apartments or villas with limited outside space, small dogs are also more convenient.
Pet ownership has been in decline since 2016, with dog and cat ownership falling around 1.0% each annually between 2016 and 2021. Pet ownership in the UAE is mainly driven by the country's expatriate residents, which make up an around 87% of the UAE population (2020), who work in well-paid jobs and mainly live in rented dwellings in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Couples with children are the predominant household type in the UAE, accounting for nearly 60.0% of households in 2019. However, their share is projected to contract as the number of single-person and child free households are expected to increase during 2020-2040.
Pet protection law
A new pet protection law was implemented in 2018 and is believed to be having a positive effect on pet food sales. The law specifically targets pet abandonment as many expatriates abandon their pets, particularly cats, when they leave the UAE to take up jobs elsewhere. Pet owners are now obliged to properly care for their pets or face penalties or imprisonment. As a result of this new legislation, many pet owners are feeding and looking after their animals properly to avoid sanctions and this means that sales of pet food and pet care products are rising accordingly.
| Category | 2016 | 2020 | CAGR* % 2016-2020 | 2021 | 2026 | CAGR* % 2021-2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dog population | 66.0 | 77.9 | 4.2 | 81.6 | 88.3 | 2.0 |
| Small dog (up to 20 lbs/9 kg) | 33.0 | 38.0 | 3.6 | 39.5 | 42.3 | 1.7 |
| Medium dog (20-50 lbs/9-23 kg) | 13.2 | 13.9 | 1.3 | 14.3 | 14.8 | 0.9 |
| Large dog (Over 50 lbs/23 kg) | 19.8 | 26.0 | 7.0 | 27.8 | 31.1 | 2.8 |
| Total cat population | 124.7 | 134.1 | 1.8 | 136.1 | 141.1 | 0.9 |
|
Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
||||||
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021[e] | CAGR* % 2016-2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Households owning a dog | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 3.8 | 3.7 | 3.7 | −1.0 |
| Households owning a dog ('000 Households) | 60.9 | 63.0 | 62.7 | 63.1 | 56.6 | 56.6 | −1.5 |
| % Households owning a cat | 6.3 | 6.3 | 6.2 | 6.2 | 6.1 | 6.1 | −0.6 |
| Households owning a cat ('000 Households) | 98.4 | 102.3 | 102.2 | 103.5 | 93.3 | 93.8 | −1.0 |
|
Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 e: Estimated *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
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Retail market size
Dog food
Total retail sales of dog food increased 12.4% annually from 2016 to 2020, lead by premium dry dog food, which increased 15.1%, followed by premium wet dog food (9.6%). Premium dry dog food accounts for approximately half of all dog food sales in the UAE. All dog food categories are forecast to grow from 2021 to 2026, lead by premium dry and wet dog food. Royal Canin, along with Mars' Pedigree, Rodeo and Cesar brands, have strong positioning within the expatriate population who know of their brands and products from their home countries. Sales of dog treats and mixers is approximately equivalent to wet dog food sales in the UAE and show strong historical and forecast growth of 15.8% and 16.7%.
| Category | 2016 | 2020 | CAGR* % 2016-2020 | 2021 | 2026 | CAGR* % 2021-2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total dog food | 22.2 | 35.4 | 12.4 | 39.0 | 69.2 | 15.4 |
| Dry dog food | 13.0 | 21.4 | 13.3 | 23.6 | 44.2 | 17.0 |
| Economy dry dog food | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.0 |
| Mid-priced dry dog food | 2.4 | 3.0 | 5.7 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 9.8 |
| Premium dry dog food | 10.3 | 18.1 | 15.1 | 20.1 | 39.4 | 18.3 |
| Wet dog food | 4.8 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.4 | 8.3 | 6.7 |
| Economy wet dog food | 0.2 | 0.1 | −15.9 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
| Mid-priced wet dog food | 3.7 | 4.6 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 6.4 | 6.9 |
| Premium wet dog food | 0.9 | 1.3 | 9.6 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 8.5 |
| Dog treats and mixers | 4.4 | 7.9 | 15.8 | 9.0 | 16.7 | 16.7 |
|
Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
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Premium dog food
Sales of premium dog food have performed best in the UAE, despite the introduction of a 5% VAT in 2018. Given that most UAE citizens work in well-paid jobs, the price increase has not had an effect on demand. Premium dog food is expected to experience significant sales growth as UAE consumers can afford high quality food for their pets and are showing greater interest in their dogs' health.
Health and wellness products such as organic and grain-free products are likely to grow in popularity as owners become increasingly concerned about what packaged dog food contains. This is demonstrated by a shift towards organic, natural and healthy products. Flavours such as duck, rabbit and lamb are popular and there is a rising demand for chicken, salmon and trout variants (new product launches) with Lily's Kitchen tapping successfully into growing demand for organic, gluten-free and grain-free dog food.
Brand shares
The top brand, Royal Canin by Mars Inc. has dominated the pet food market in UAE since 2016, with a market share of 22.7% in 2020, followed by Pedigree (Mars Inc) at 16.8% and Taste of the Wild (Schell & Kampeter Inc) at 8.4%. These brands have strong positioning within the expatriate population who know of their brands and products from their home countries. Royal Canin is premium and available in both mousse and dry formats, although it is best known for its dry variant, whereas Pedigree is mid-priced in both wet and dry formats. Mars Inc. is the largest player in the UAE dog food market, with a market share of 41.1% in 2020, followed by Nestlé SA at 10.7%.
| Brand | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Canin (Mars Inc) | 22.8 | 22.7 | 22.8 | 23.6 | 22.7 |
| Pedigree (Mars Inc) | 19.2 | 18.7 | 18.7 | 18.1 | 16.8 |
| Taste of the Wild (Schell & Kampeter Inc) | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.5 | 8.4 |
| Jerhigh (Charoen Pokphand Group) | 1.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| Beneful (Nestlé SA) | 2.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.3 | 3.2 |
| Pro Plan (Nestlé SA) | 2.9 | 2.7 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Dog Chow (Nestlé SA) | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 | 2.9 | 2.5 |
| Lily's Kitchen (Nestlé SA) | 2.3 | ||||
| ZiwiPeak (ZiwiPeak Ltd) | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Arden Grange (Arden Grange International Ltd) | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 1.3 |
| Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 | |||||
| Company | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Inc | 43.5 | 42.9 | 43.2 | 43.4 | 41.1 |
| Nestlé SA | 10.0 | 9.0 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 10.7 |
| Schell & Kampeter Inc | 7.5 | 8.0 | 8.2 | 8.5 | 8.4 |
| Charoen Pokphand Group | 1.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| ZiwiPeak Ltd | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.1 | 2.0 | 1.8 |
| Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 | |||||
Cat food
Total retail sales of cat food increased 11.2% annually from 2016 to 2020, lead by mid prices dry and wet cat food. Wet cat food accounts for 68.9% of all cat food sales in the UAE. All cat food categories are forecast to grow from 2021 to 2026, lead by mid-priced dry and wet cat food between 2021 and 2026. Sales of cat treats and mixers in the UAE is insignificant to dry and wet cat food sales but shows strong historical and forecast growth of 12.5% and 12.2%.
| Category | 2016 | 2020 | CAGR* % 2016-2020 | 2021 | 2026 | CAGR* % 2021-2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total cat food | 30.9 | 47.2 | 11.2 | 52.9 | 97.2 | 12.9 |
| Dry cat food | 10.1 | 13.9 | 8.3 | 15.1 | 24.1 | 9.8 |
| Premium dry cat food | 1.2 | 1.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | 1.5 |
| Economy dry cat food | 6.4 | 7.8 | 5.1 | 8.2 | 10.3 | 4.7 |
| Mid-priced dry cat food | 2.4 | 4.8 | 18.9 | 5.6 | 12.3 | 17.0 |
| Wet cat food | 20.4 | 32.5 | 12.3 | 36.8 | 71.6 | 14.2 |
| Premium wet cat food | 1.5 | 1.7 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.2 |
| Economy wet cat food | 9.2 | 11.0 | 4.6 | 11.2 | 14.0 | 4.6 |
| Mid-priced wet cat food | 9.7 | 19.8 | 19.5 | 23.9 | 55.7 | 18.4 |
| Cat treats and mixers | 0.5 | 0.8 | 12.5 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 12.2 |
|
Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
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Mid priced cat food
Mid-priced cat food enjoys robust growth thanks to increasing humanisation and the new pet protection law. Humanisation is particularly beneficial for wet cat food. Wet food is also considered healthier and higher quality than dry cat food, and pet owners are willing to accept higher prices. New variants, such as tuna and chicken, chicken fillet and cheese, ocean white fish and potato and chicken and shrimp, have also stimulated sales as cat owners are willing to try different products to see if their cat enjoys them and create a greater bond between cats and their owners. Organic and grain-free options are also expected to be popular.
Company shares
| Company | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mars Inc | 41.2 | 41.1 | 41.6 | 42.2 | 42.0 |
| Nestlé SA | 39.9 | 40.2 | 39.8 | 39.2 | 38.8 |
| Schell & Kampeter Inc | 1.7 | 2.0 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 2.5 |
| Tropical Canning Corp Sdn Bhd | 1.9 | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
| ZiwiPeak Ltd | 1.1 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.8 |
| Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 | |||||
Foreign companies dominate the cat food category in the UAE, mainly due to the fact that consumers know and trust these brands from their respective home countries. The top two companies (Mars and Nestle) have made up around 80% of retail sales from 2016 to 2020. Mars carries a wide range of brands across all price points, from Whiskas in mid-priced wet and dry cat food to Sheba in premium wet cat food. The economy price band is also well catered for with the Kitekat brand, which is present in both economy dry cat food and economy wet cat food.
Distribution channels
In 2020, hyper markets (32.0%) and pet shops (29.3%) sold the most dog and cat food in UAE. Ecommerce also performed well with a 14.3% share, an increase of 61.0% over 2019.
According to Euromonitor, companies' choice of distributor is very important to succeeding in the UAE, with most companies importing cat food products. An example of this is ZiwiPeak, which experienced distribution problems with its partner, resulting in limited stock in the UAE, despite continued demand for ZiwiPeak air-dried cat food.
Small manufacturers are also competing for shelf space in grocery retailers and getting exposure in pet shops and other specialist retailers. This has led to leading e-commerce retailers, such as Amazon and Carrefour, to expand the amount of pet care products available online, which could also help small retailers.
According to Euromonitor, pet shops have capitalised on the popularity of ethical and health and wellness dog food products. One example of this is Pet's Delight, which has opened a new store with an in-house pet nutritionist, sponsors dogs at a local dog rescue centre, promotes adopting pets, and sells only ethical, organic and sustainable pet food brands.
| Channel | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hypermarkets | 41.4 | 37.6 | 36.0 | 34.4 | 32.0 |
| Supermarkets | 12.8 | 12.2 | 11.6 | 11.1 | 10.9 |
| Pet superstores | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Pet shops | 27.3 | 30.0 | 31.4 | 32.4 | 29.3 |
| E-commerce | 6.9 | 7.8 | 8.3 | 8.9 | 14.3 |
| Veterinary clinics | 9.5 | 9.9 | 10.1 | 10.5 | 10.8 |
| Total | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 | 100.0 |
| Source: Euromonitor International, 2021 | |||||
United Arab Emirates imports
In 2020, UAE imported Can$54.4 million worth of dog/cat food from the world, with imports growing 13.9% annually between 2016 and 2020. The top five supplier countries are also growing strongly, with imports from Hungary growing the fastest, by 71.6% annually. Imports from Canada, the UAE's twelfth largest source country, grew by 6.2% annually from 2016-2020.
| Country | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | CAGR* % 2016-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 32,284,211 | 32,655,112 | 34,503,474 | 39,750,716 | 54,360,732 | 13.9 |
| Thailand | 7,207,943 | 8,571,916 | 9,690,873 | 11,007,130 | 14,134,083 | 18.3 |
| France | 8,997,242 | 8,167,185 | 8,250,487 | 10,185,134 | 13,190,536 | 10.0 |
| United States | 5,297,887 | 5,722,769 | 3,383,050 | 4,575,778 | 5,533,770 | 1.1 |
| Hungary | 505,645 | 601,649 | 986,114 | 1,286,463 | 4,385,078 | 71.6 |
| United Kingdom | 2,599,459 | 2,388,324 | 2,973,584 | 2,956,737 | 3,994,206 | 11.3 |
| Canada (12) | 671,864 | 594,044 | 884,638 | 975,471 | 855,093 | 6.2 |
|
Source: Global Trade Tracker, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
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Opportunities for Canada
The UAE is a growing export market for Canadian dog/cat food, by 6.2% annually during 2016-2020, Canada's exports of pet food to UAE are valued at Can$855K (2020). From 2016 to 2020, four provinces exported dog/cat food to UAE, Ontario being the largest exporter at 80.6% of total exports, followed by Alberta (18.1%), and New Brunswick (1.3%).
| Province | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | CAGR* % 2016-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 671,864 | 594,044 | 884,638 | 975,471 | 855,093 | 6.2 |
| Ontario | 3,213 | 689,204 | N/C | |||
| Alberta | 664,894 | 590,831 | 875,786 | 963,781 | 154,528 | −30.6 |
| New Brunswick | 11,361 | N/C | ||||
| British Columbia | 6,970 | 8,852 | 11,690 | N/C | ||
|
Source: Global Trade Tracker, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate N/C: Not calculable |
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Product launch analysis
Between 2016 and 2020, 138 dog/cat food products were launched in UAE; which represents an annual decrease of 42.9%. New product launches made up the bulk of launch types in 2020 and have been consistent over 2016-2020. Most new launches were dog snacks and treats, with 36 releases, followed by wet cat food (13), wet dog food (10), and dry cat food (7).
| Launch type | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | Total sample | CAGR* % 2016-2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New product | 19 | 15 | 7 | 18 | 16 | 75 | −15.8 |
| New variety/range extension | 14 | 31 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 55 | −78.6 |
| New formulation | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | −100.0 |
| Relaunch | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.0 |
| New packaging | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |
| Total sample | 35 | 49 | 13 | 21 | 20 | 138 | −42.9 |
|
Source: Mintel, 2021 *CAGR: Compound annual growth rate |
|||||||
| Sub-category | New product | New variety/range extension | New formulation | Relaunch | New packaging | Total sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dog snacks and treats | 36 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 53 |
| Cat food wet | 13 | 29 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 43 |
| Dog food wet | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Cat snacks and treats | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
| Cat food dry | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10 |
| Dog food dry | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Total sample | 75 | 55 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 138 |
| Source: Mintel, 2021 | ||||||
Among the 138 pet food products launched from 2016 to 2020, adult pet food was the top claim (46), followed by no additives or preservatives (40), vitamin/mineral fortified (33), free from added/artificial colourings (32), and ethical - environmentally friendly package (32), and ethical - recycling claims (32).
| Claim | Dog snacks and treats | Cat food wet | Dog food wet | Cat snacks and treats | Cat food dry | Dog food dry | Total of all sub-categories |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pet - adult | 8 | 17 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 46 |
| No additives/preservatives | 20 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 40 |
| Vitamin/mineral fortified | 15 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 33 |
| Free from added/artificial colourings | 16 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 32 |
| Ethical - environmentally friendly package | 5 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 |
| Ethical - recycling | 5 | 20 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 32 |
| Free from added/artificial flavourings | 11 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 28 |
| Social media | 16 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 27 |
| Free from added/artificial preservatives | 10 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 26 |
| Low/no/reduced allergen | 19 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 25 |
| Total sample | 53 | 43 | 17 | 14 | 10 | 1 | 138 |
| Source: Mintel, 2021 | |||||||
Conclusion
Demand for healthier and ethical products is expected to continue to increase in the UAE as consumers become increasingly concerned about providing an adequate diet for their pets. In addition to pet "humanization", demand for healthier products is also driven by the country's new pet protection law designed to protect against pet abandonment and maltreatment, primarily by nomadic expatriates.
Growth in the UAE dog/cat food markets is expected to continue, especially in mid-priced wet and dry cat food. Sales of premium dog food are expected to continue to perform best in the dog food category, despite the introduction of a 5% tax in 2018. New product launches in the UAE are focused on dog snacks and treats, followed by wet cat and dog food, lead by adult, no additives/preservatives, and vitamin/mineral fortified claims.
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Resources
- Euromonitor International
- Country Report | May 2020. Pet care in the UAE
- Country Report | May 2020. Cat Food in the UAE
- Country Report | May 2020. Dog Food in the UAE
- Country Report | October 2020. Consumer Overview in the UAE
- Global Trade Tracker, 2021
- Mintel, 2021
Sector Trend Analysis – Pet Food Trends in the United Arab Emirates
Global Analysis Report
Prepared by: Kris Clipsham, Market Analyst
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