Carrefour Poland and Tom&Co Bet on Premium Dog Food and Vet-Grade Pet Aisles in 2026 Store Expansion
Executive Summary. Two European retailers upgraded their pet offer this month, trade title GlobalPETS reported on 16 September 2026. Carrefour Polska launched “Zookątek”, a pet-care section carrying more than 2,500 products including nearly 1,000 new items, which will become standard in every newly opened Carrefour store in Poland. Tom&Co, operating more than 200 stores across Belgium, France and Luxembourg, renewed and expanded its para-pharmacy section with veterinary diets and its vet-approved own brand Purviso.
Key Facts
- Retailers
- Carrefour Polska (approx. 900 locations, 6 formats); Tom&Co (200+ locations in Belgium, France, Luxembourg)
- Concepts
- Carrefour “Zookątek” pet-care section; Tom&Co para-pharmacy plus Vet Corner
- Assortment
- 2,500+ products incl. nearly 1,000 new items; brands incl. Josera and Royal Canin; Tom&Co own brand Purviso
- Reported
- 2026-09-16 (GlobalPETS); Tom&Co para-pharmacy renewed August 2026; Vet Corner piloted May 2026 in 2 stores
- Species covered
- Cats, dogs, rodents, birds, aquarium fish
- Source
- GlobalPETS with direct retailer statements
What Happened
Carrefour Polska introduced a dedicated pet-care retail concept called Zookątek, expanding its assortment to more than 2,500 products, of which nearly 1,000 are new items. The range covers treats in various formats, health and hygiene products, toys and accessories, and specialty, veterinary and premium pet food from brands such as Josera and Royal Canin. The retailer told GlobalPETS the concept will be standard in every newly opened Carrefour store, and that it plans to add specialist solutions from niche Polish manufacturers and to expand its private-label portfolio inside the concept.
In parallel, Tom&Co renewed and expanded its para-pharmacy section across its network in August, moving products that were previously found mainly online onto regular store shelves. The section carries the Royal Canin Veterinary range for dogs and cats alongside Purviso, Tom&Co’s own vet-approved care brand, and is supported by advisors trained through the Tom&Co Academy and by two years of collaboration with veterinarians in Belgium and France. A Vet Corner offering veterinary diet products was piloted in two stores in May.
Background
European grocery has historically treated pet food as a commodity aisle dominated by economy volumes, while specialty chains owned the premium and veterinary end of the market. That division is eroding. Carrefour’s own statement ties the move to the trend of treating pets as family members, which it says translates into demand for a broader range of products. Carrefour Polska operates around 900 locations across hypermarkets, supermarkets, wholesale, discounters, convenience and specialist stores, so making Zookątek a standard format multiplies the shelf change quickly.
Industry Context
The assortment data shows where the money is moving: premium dog food and premium cat food lines sit in the same aisle as hygiene, supplements and veterinary diets, which is precisely the specialty-store model. For brand owners, a vet-grade grocery shelf is new distribution; for suppliers and dog food distributors, Carrefour’s roughly 900-store network and Tom&Co’s 200+ stores represent mass-market shelf space that was previously out of reach for mid-size premium labels. Tom&Co’s approach also shows the service layer being imported: trained advisors, vet collaboration and in-store vet diet corners are no longer exclusive to pet specialty.
Market & Business Impact
Two competitive consequences follow. First, specialty pet retail loses assortment exclusivity: when a hypermarket carries Royal Canin Veterinary ranges next to ~1,000 new products, the shopper’s reason to travel to a specialty store narrows to services, live expertise and loyalty economics. Second, private label pressure builds: Carrefour explicitly plans to grow its own-label share inside Zookątek, positioning verified-quality own brand nutrition at accessible prices, the same playbook Tom&Co runs with Purviso. Premium brands will need differentiation beyond ingredients to defend shelf pricing in grocery channels through 2027.
Companies & Brands Involved
Carrefour Group operates around 14,000 stores in more than 40 countries; Carrefour Polska is its Polish subsidiary. Tom&Co, founded in 1991, operates more than 200 locations across Belgium, France and Luxembourg with e-commerce click-and-collect, grooming salons and self-service dog wash stations. Brand references in the concepts include Josera, Royal Canin and Purviso. Retailer and supplier profiles are catalogued in the GlobalPetIndex company directory.
Data & Evidence
Verified figures as reported by GlobalPETS on 16 September 2026: Zookątek carries more than 2,500 products including nearly 1,000 new items; Carrefour Polska runs approximately 900 locations in 6 formats; Tom&Co operates more than 200 stores in three countries; the Tom&Co para-pharmacy renewal took place in August and the Vet Corner pilot covered 2 stores in May. No revenue figures were disclosed for either concept.
What This Means for the Pet Industry
Veterinary-grade products are becoming a grocery format standard, and that changes who wins shelf space in Europe. Premium suppliers gain a second, much larger distribution channel; specialty retailers must deepen services to keep their premium customer. The next indicator to watch is private-label share inside these concepts, because own brands are where grocery retailers capture the premium margin themselves.
Key Takeaways
- Carrefour Polska launched the Zookątek pet-care concept with more than 2,500 products, including nearly 1,000 new items, and will standardize it in every newly opened Carrefour store in Poland.
- Tom&Co expanded its para-pharmacy across Belgium, France and Luxembourg in August, carrying the Royal Canin Veterinary range and its own vet-approved brand Purviso.
- The moves bring veterinary diets, premium nutrition and trained advice into mainstream grocery, narrowing the assortment gap with specialty pet chains.
- Both retailers plan private-label growth inside the concepts, a margin strategy that will pressure mid-size premium brands on price.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Carrefour’s Zookątek concept?
Zookątek is a dedicated in-store pet-care section Carrefour Polska introduced with more than 2,500 products, including nearly 1,000 new items spanning treats, health and hygiene, toys, accessories and specialty, veterinary and premium food for cats, dogs, rodents, birds and aquarium fish.
How many stores are affected?
Carrefour Polska operates around 900 locations across six formats, and the retailer says Zookątek will be standard in every newly opened Carrefour store. Tom&Co runs more than 200 locations in Belgium, France and Luxembourg.
What is Tom&Co’s para-pharmacy?
It is an expanded in-store section carrying specialized pet health products, including the Royal Canin Veterinary range for dogs and cats and Tom&Co’s own vet-approved brand Purviso, supported by advisors trained through the Tom&Co Academy and a veterinary collaboration team.
Why does this matter for premium pet brands?
Grocery shelf space for premium dog food and veterinary diets was previously hard to win; the concepts open mass-market distribution, but they also bring private-label competition, since both retailers plan to grow own-brand assortments inside the same sections.
Which brands are named in the concepts?
Josera and Royal Canin are named in the Carrefour Zookątek assortment; Royal Canin Veterinary and Tom&Co’s own Purviso brand anchor the Tom&Co para-pharmacy section.
