A Guide To Pet Food Labelling

By Brindha, Contributing Writer

Many people adore pets, and give more importance to them by treating them more or like an extended family member. With the rising craze for pets in every home, the pet food industry is experiencing vast growth by producing unique pet foods and supplying it to the pet owners or retailers in the market. The industry has a huge scope to generate a handsome income in the coming years with the rising demand for pets.

Brand packaging faces lots of pressure from the implementation of new regulations and language complexities, all of which could vary from one country or region to another. Brand managers, therefore, need to adapt to these changes and prepare themselves from a process standpoint.

Before outsourcing pet-related supplements, it is essential to meet the standard labelling requirements for better brand reachability. Always go for transparent labels that reveal the ingredients used in the product and their advantages to instill confidence in the consumers. The labelling process is categorized into two different levels. The Federal Regulation stated by the United States Food and Drug Administration enforces the standard rules applicable for animal foods like the availability of net quantity, name of the manufacturer and address, and ingredients coverage on the label. Other items found on the label are calorie content, feeding instructions, total quantity, and warnings if any.

What needs to be mentioned on the pet food label?

1. Nutritional adequacy

 American Feed Control Officials have stated that the manufactured product must supplement adequate nutrition to the users to lead a healthy life through different life stages. The life phases include growth and reproduction covering lactation in the latter phase. Certified pet food with the appropriate label stating the food is suitable for all life stages or whether it can be fed as a treat or substitute during a specific stage is all about the nutritional adequacy statement.

2. Ingredient list

All the ingredients must be listed on the product label with the highest calorie in the first. This way of enlisting the content would be helpful for pet owners to choose products wisely if their pets are allergic to certain substances. Also, today many consumers expect the brand makers to list the contents along with their percentage in the label to be aware of the product.

3. Guaranteed analysis

The guaranteed analysis (GA) is the actual split-up percentage of nutrients in pet foods’ composition of vitamins, protein, and fat. A GA is inevitable for any product that is certified as nutritious for dogs. Also, if the pet food is rich in some ingredients, it must be mentioned outright on the label for the owners to choose the right food for their pets.

Top trends that impact your food label in 2021

Let us look into the top trends that need to be followed in the pet food labelling to stand out from the crowd in the pet food marketing industry. These trends aim at providing a user-friendly solution to the consumers in the view of the safety of the pets.

1. Health and wellness

Gone are those days when pet owners used to buy the average foods for pets for their survival. Today, pet owners treat pets like their family members and look up to provide quality food for their dog with the right amount of supplements. This is done to ensure they are healthy to adore them for a longer time. Keeping this in mind, many pet owners prefer organic foods with balanced ingredients to prevent side effects in pets.

2. eCommerce

Many pet owners find it challenging to buy pet foods due to the lockdown in the current pandemic situation. Therefore, the alternate solution is to buy products through online stores that deliver hassle-free at their doorstep. The eCommerce industry is vast, and the best way to retain customers is by sending messages on promotional offers for regular customers. Pampering customers boost the revenue of the eCommerce pet business by increasing brand awareness across multiple channels.

3. Private label

Private label manufacturers are independent producers of pet foods claiming complete ownership of their products. This is one of the best trends in the pet food labelling industry as the products delivered come from authorized partners and are reliable to consume by the pets. These companies understand the requirements of pets and make pet foods accordingly to pass the compliance tests.

4. Sustainability

This is the last but crucial trend followed in the pet industry, implying the safety of the animals without affecting human lives by making it undesirable for consumption. Ensure the pet foods are packaged and supplied in an eco-friendly way without harming the surroundings and include the needed supplements for pets to give them a healthy life.

Pet owners must be conscious about the foods given to their pets to avoid any consequences in the future. On that note, many manufacturers adopt pet labelling to sell their products fast in the competitive market by connecting with the customers. The label reveals all crucial information about the pet foods enhancing the brand awareness rather than ads that do not provide any visual evidence. To conclude, stick to products that comply with the standards considering the well-being of the pets.

About the Author
Brindha is a passionate writer currently writing engaging content on Packaging Artwork and Labeling. She has dynamic writing experience for various niches for various clients across the globe.