Petco to Stop Selling Pet Food With Artificial Colors, Flavors, and Preservatives
2018-11-15 10:07:46
Petco will stop selling food and treats containing artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives for dogs and cats by May 2019. The company is the first national pet specialty retailer to take a stand against such ingredients.
In regards to food color, the following color ingredients are those which do not meet Petco’s new nutritional standards:
Artificial Color – any dye, pigment, or other substance that can impart color to a food that is not derived from a natural source.
- Labels that says “Artificial Colors”
- FD&C Blue No. 1
- FD&C Blue No. 2
- FD&C Green No. 3
- Orange B
- Citrus Red No. 2
- FD&C Red No. 3
- FD&C Red No. 40
- FD&C Yellow No. 5
- FD&C Yellow No. 6
- Titanium dioxide*
*We will remove titanium dioxide from most products by May 2019, with the exception of Pro Plan and Science Diet Urinary formulas for cats, as there is not yet a suitable artificial-free formula to address this common health issue faced by 1 in 10 cats.
See Petco’s full list of ingredients being eliminated here .
“Since our first store opened in 1965, Petco has been dedicated to ensuring the well-being of pets,” said Ron Coughlin, Petco CEO. “That commitment continues today with our decision to eliminate food and treats for dogs and cats containing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives from our shelves. Some may question whether this makes good business sense, but putting pets’ health first has always been the right thing to do for Petco. This is both a major step forward for pets and a natural next step on our journey to become a complete partner in total pet wellness. We hope the rest of the pet industry will join us on this path to better health for the pets we love.”
“We’re inviting pet food companies to join us on this journey, even working hand-in-hand with some to pursue potential ingredient changes to meet our new ingredient standards,” said Nick Konat, co-chief merchandising officer for Petco. “In cases where an existing brand is unable to update some or all of their products to meet our criteria by May of 2019, we will stop carrying either specific products or the brand entirely, and we’ll help pet parents affected by such a change to safely transition to a new food or brand that we believe is healthier for their pet.”
According to a recent survey, 87 percent of pet parents say feeding their pet food made with no artificial flavors, no artificial colors and no artificial preservatives is important to pet’s health and well-being.
“We’re stepping out ahead of the industry here because we believe it’s the right thing to do. With Petco’s new nutrition standards, we will only offer food that we believe supports overall pet health and wellness, making the decision process much easier for pet parents.”
At Sensient, we have a dedicated color team for the pet food segment who are happy to assist with any formulation questions and challenges regarding alternative color options to artificial colors.
Check out Sensient’s pet food page full of insights sure to keep your tail-wagging. Click here to explore!
Petco to Stop Selling Pet Food With Artificial Colors, Flavors, and Preservatives
