Pet market and pet ownership in Scandinavia - statistics & facts

Pet owners know that nothing compares to the joy that comes with sharing their lives with a furry friend. In Danish households, there were approximately 21.1 thousand newly registered pet dogs in 2022, making them one of the most popular pets to have. Cats, fish, and birds are also among the most frequent companion animals in Scandinavia. In addition to keeping people company, pets can also be providers of comfort and emotional support, becoming true family members in a household. But how has ownership changed in Scandinavia in recent years?

Scandinavia’s most popular pets

Between the three Scandinavian countries, there seems to be a notable pet preference. Danish pet owners have had a slight predilection for cats in the last five years; nonetheless, this trend pivoted in 2022, when a larger share of households had a dog as their preferred furry friend. In Norway, cats have been a very popular pet for at least ten years. The increase has changed slightly, but they remain on top, with a peak in 2021 and 2022. In its neighboring country, Sweden, the situation was similar, as cats were more common as pets than dogs. The peak year was 2022, with at least 1.7 million cats registered in this country.

Pet expenses

Pet ownership in these countries has been declining since the pandemic, as have the expenses related to it. While consumers in Denmark spent an average of 1,293 Danish kroner on pet products in 2021, it was much less than the previous year. It is important for pet owners to give their friends a healthy, fresh and good-quality diet, which could be the reason why consumers spend a significant amount of money on pet food.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by M. Ridder, Mar 20, 2024

Key insights

Value of pet-related products and services in Europe
24.5bn EUR
Retail sales value of dog or cat food in Denmark
704m DKK
Average household expenditure on pets in Denmark
1,324 DKK
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Pet food sales worldwide from 2010 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Pet Food

Sales of pet food worldwide 2010-2023

Share of households owning a pet in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2012 to 2023*

Pets & Animal Supplies

Pet ownership in the United Kingdom (UK) 2012-2023

Household penetration rate for pet-ownership in the United States from 1988 to 2023*

Pets & Animal Supplies

Pet-ownership: household penetration rate 1988-2023

Related topics

Pet ownership worldwide

3

Pet food market

3

Pet care and insurance

3

Recommended statistics

Overview

5

Overview

Dogs

11

Dogs

Cats

5

Cats

Other pets

8

Other pets

Costs

7

Costs

Retail sales

6

Retail sales

Further reportsGet the best reports to understand your industry

Pet ownership in the U.S.
Pet ownership in the U.S.
Pet food in the U.S.
Pet food in the U.S.
Pet food in the United Kingdom (UK)
Pet food in the United Kingdom (UK)
Pet ownership in the United Kingdom (UK)
Pet ownership in the United Kingdom (UK)
Pet ownership and pet care market in Europe
Pet ownership and pet care market in Europe
Pet ownership in Sweden
Pet ownership in Sweden
Pet ownership and pet care market in the Netherlands
Pet ownership and pet care market in the Netherlands
Pet food market worldwide
Pet food market worldwide

Contact

Get in touch with us. We are happy to help.
Statista Locations
Contact Meredith Alda
Meredith Alda
Sales Manager– Contact (United States)
Email
support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Contact Yolanda Mega
Yolanda Mega
Operations Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 5pm (SGT)

Contact Kisara Mizuno
Kisara Mizuno
Senior Business Development Manager– Contact (Asia)
Email
asia.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 10:00am - 6:00pm (JST)

Contact Lodovica Biagi
Lodovica Biagi
Director of Operations– Contact (Europe)
Email
eu.support@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9:30am - 5pm (GMT)

Contact Carolina Dulin
Carolina Dulin
Group Director - LATAM– Contact (Latin America)
Email
latam@statista.com

Mon - Fri, 9am - 6pm (EST)

Menu