UK pet-food firms target China

UK pet-food companies are using trade-show access, buyer meetings and export support programs to push deeper into China’s premium pet-care market. Pet Fair Asia 2026 ran in Shanghai from August 19 to 23, drawing more than 2,600 exhibitors and over 130,000 professional visitors from more than 90 countries, according to organizers. The event’s scale matters because China remains one of the biggest global growth markets for pet products, and UK trade groups are now framing that demand around imported, higher-end nutrition. A China-Britain Business Council program tied to the fair said UK brands were being positioned in front of pre-qualified buyers and retail channels in Shanghai. ### Why were UK firms in Shanghai in the first place? Pet Fair Asia said its 28th edition was the most international yet, with about 20% of exhibitors and represented brands coming from outside China. The fair described itself as a platform linking manufacturers, brands, distributors, retailers and investors with China and wider Asian pet-market demand. That matters for UK exporters because the show is built around exactly the kinds of commercial introductions — distributors, retail buyers and market partners — that imported pet-food brands need to enter China. (en.petfairasia.com) CBBC’s Pet Fair Asia 2026 program was more explicit. The group said its market-entry package was designed to help UK pet brands “understand the market, meet pre-qualified buyers” and explore one of Asia’s leading pet-industry events. The program combined a London masterclass with Shanghai meetings, a retail tour and three pre-matched buyer meetings for each participating company, according to CBBC materials. (en.petfairasia.com) ### What exactly are British brands pitching into China? CBBC said China’s pet market is moving into a “premium, brand-driven growth phase,” with demand shifting toward nutrition, health and wellness products. Its briefing for UK companies said British brands benefit from reputations for quality, safety, regulatory standards, and expertise in pet health and nutrition. That framing matches the broader push described in trade and social briefings around premium, science-led dog nutrition rather than low-cost commodity feed. (cbbc.org) CBBC put a number on the opportunity. The group said China’s urban dog and cat population reached 126 million in 2025, with a consumer market size of £33.8 billion, and pointed to rising pet ownership among Gen Z and millennial consumers, higher spending per pet and expanding cross-border e-commerce. Pet Fair Asia separately said China plays a pivotal role in the global pet industry because of its manufacturing base, infrastructure and sourcing ecosystem. (cbbc.org) ### What stands between a UK pet-food brand and a China sale? The UK government’s export guidance says pet food made from animal by-products needs an export health certificate. Separate guidance for cat and dog food exports to China says Chinese customers or local import companies usually apply for import permits and that UK manufacturing sites must be specifically registered with China’s General Administration of Customs, or GACC. (cbbc.org) A UK establishment is not considered eligible to export until it appears on the current GACC list, even if British authorities have already submitted its details. That means the Shanghai pitch is only one part of the process. CBBC’s materials say the program includes compliance and regulatory briefings before companies go to China, alongside the buyer introductions and retail visits. ### How does this fit into the wider UK-China trade picture? The UK Department for Business and Trade said total UK-China trade in goods and services was £107.2 billion in the four quarters to the end of the first quarter of 2026. (gov.uk) The same factsheet said UK exports to China were £32.3 billion over that period, up 2.5% from a year earlier, and China was the UK’s fourth-largest trading partner. (cbbc.org) Peter Kyle, Britain’s business and trade secretary, said at a July 1 UK-China export event that the government wanted to support British companies selling into China, according to a government release. That broader export push helps explain why sector-specific programs such as the pet-market mission are being organized around trade fairs and buyer access. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk) ### What comes next for these exporters? September 24 is the next planned release date for the UK government’s China trade and investment factsheet. For pet-food exporters, the nearer milestones are more operational: appearing on the GACC-approved establishment list, securing Chinese import permits through local partners, and converting the buyer meetings arranged around Pet Fair Asia into distribution agreements or online-channel listings. (gov.uk) (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)