英国官员称进入中国市场是英国宠物食品制造商的重要里程碑   2026-09-02

 

China has the world’s most dynamic pet food market and gaining access to it toward the end of last year was a major milestone for British producers, a UK trade official said.

“With market access now in place, the priority is turning that opportunity into commercial success,” Sohail Shaikh, British Deputy Trade Commissioner for China, told Yicai during the Pet Fair Asia held recently in Shanghai.

China’s pet market is growing, with related spending in urban areas rising 4.1 percent to CNY312.6 billion (USD46.5 billion) last year, according to a report by market research firm Petdata earlier this year. The figure is expected to grow to CNY405 billion in 2028, with pet food accounting for more than half of the market, the report said.

“I expect UK companies to focus on areas where British expertise is particularly strong, including premium and functional nutrition, pet health, and products backed by veterinary science and research,” Shaikh said. “There’s also growing interest in sustainability, from responsibly sourced ingredients to sustainable packaging.”

China’s customs authority gave the green light for imports of UK pet food meeting quarantine and hygiene requirements last November. The industry is a microcosm of deepening economic and trade cooperation between the two countries.

The bilateral trade in goods stood at USD103.7 billion last year, with services making up USD30 billion, and the value of direct investments made by businesses and investors from both countries in each other’s economies was close to USD68 billion, according to China’s commerce ministry.

“The UK has built deep expertise in areas such as animal nutrition, veterinary science, and product development through close collaboration between industry, researchers and universities,” Shaikh said. “China, meanwhile, has become exceptionally strong at responding to changing consumer demands, using digital platforms to engage pet owners and bringing new products to market at remarkable speed.”

British companies could establish long-term partnerships with Chinese firms, Shaikh suggested, thereby combining UK expertise with China’s innovation capabilities and market size to foster more innovative products, services, and business models.

“I’m very optimistic about the future of UK-China cooperation in the pet sector because the opportunities extend far beyond exporting products,” he said. “Increasingly, we’re seeing potential for collaboration across research, animal health, sustainability, manufacturing and innovation.”

Source: Yicai Global

 

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