The Italian Pet Summit, Il Sole 24 Ore’s event dedicated to the world of companion animals and the entire pet economy supply chain, returns on September 15 in Milan, at Magna Pars. Now in its third edition, the Summit stems from a phenomenon that has become structural: in Italy, almost 10 million families, equal to 37.7% of the total, live with at least one pet, contributing to the growth of a market that today is worth 6.7 billion euros between products and services and continues to demonstrate solidity and development capacity despite inflation, economic uncertainties, and geopolitical instability.
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During the event, moderated by Giulia Crivelli and Micaela Cappellini from Il Sole 24 Ore, institutions, companies, trade associations, experts, academics, and professionals will discuss the main transformations redefining the sector, analyzing scenarios, opportunities, and future prospects of the Pet Economy: the evolution of owner preferences, sustainability as an essential element, up to how innovation and technology are transforming the methods and quality of animal care. There will also be space for the increasingly broad impact of pets in society: from the profound change in the human-animal relationship, to cities becoming increasingly “four-legged friendly,” up to the role of assisted interventions in managing patients with different problems. An in-depth analysis will also be dedicated to the world of work, with a focus on the challenges and evolutions of the veterinary profession.
The proceedings will be opened by Fabio Tamburini, Director of Il Sole 24 Ore, and Federico Silvestri, CEO of Gruppo 24 ORE. This will be followed by an address from Fabio Degli Esposti, CEO of Purina Italia and Regional Director Purina Southern Europe, who will offer a reflection on the growth and resilience of the Pet Economy between social impact and cultural evolution, while Paolo Garro, Business Insights Senior Director at Circana, will present the latest data on the pet care and pet food market in 2026. Following this, Giulia Bertini, Senior Client Officer at IPSOS, will explain how the role of pet owners is changing with the advent of digital technology and artificial intelligence.
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The discussion will continue with a session dedicated to the role of sector associations and a comparison between Italy and Europe, which will see the participation of Giorgio Massoni, president of ASSALCO, and Franco Garbelotto, Deputy Secretary General of FEDIAF – European Pet Food Industry Federation. The theme of pet-centric cities and new European urban models will be addressed by Andrea Gavinelli, Head of Unit for Animal Welfare at the Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission, Elena Eva Maria Grandi, Councillor for Environment and Green Areas of the Municipality of Milan, and Paola Fossati, member of the Office of the Animal Guarantor of the Municipality of Milan, veterinary doctor and researcher at the University of Milan.
Ample space will be dedicated to the cultural change that is redefining the relationship between humans and animals. This will be discussed by Giusy D’Angelo, national president of ENPA, Michela Vittoria Brambilla, deputy, president of the parliamentary intergroup for animal rights and founder of LEIDAA, Roberto Marchesini, director of SIUA – Institute of Zooanthropological Training and director of the Center for Posthumanist Philosophy Studies, and Rosalba Calabrese, head of Cabin Pet at Aeroitalia.
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