Nestle Purina was named in a class action suit alleging that the company markets pet foods as natural, although the products contain synthetic ingredients. The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Two pet owners are the lead plaintiffs, along with others in a similar situation. The central claim made by the plaintiffs in this class action is that Nestle has been misleadingly marketing its wet and dry pet food products as natural. This branding is alleged to be an attempt to attract health-conscious pet owners who seek pet food without synthetic ingredients. The plaintiffs assert that Nestle’s representations about their pet food being “natural” are false.
The root of these lawsuits may be that the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) has defined “natural” for dogs and cats. AAFCO guidelines allow pet food to be marketed as “natural with added vitamins, minerals and trace nutrients.”
It continues to amaze me that some of the largest producers in our industry seem to get away with some very wild claims. One example that comes to mind is Purinas “Bright Mind” formula. This is Purinas basic formula with an added dose of Potassium to perk up your dog shortly after ingestion of the food and persuade the owner that their companion animal is more attentive and active when using this formula. This is common in energy drinks that are on the market for humans.
Another example is Science Diet’s claim that their formulas, which are mainly derived from plant based ingredients that are very unusable to dogs, are the best “proven by science formulas”. Both of these examples are very easy to see through without having to dig very deep. Only time will tell how this lawsuit plays out but will be interesting to watch indeed.