Navigating Sustainability in Pet Food: Trends, Transparency, and the Offal Truth

Written by Jordan Tyler

So far, we’ve taken a deep dive into Euromonitor’s first two trends—Healthspan Plans and Wiser Wallets—and today we’ll continue the series with an in-depth look at their third trend—Eco-Logical.??

In the Eyes of the Beholder?

We’ve said this before, but it’s worth restating: the definition of sustainability is different for each of us. There are many tenets of sustainability, and their impact varies from person to person and from culture to culture.?

For example, in speaking with my colleague Emilie Mesnier, Vice President of European Operations at BSM Partners, she shared several interesting insights from a recent study conducted by Loop. Here’s one: while European pet parents consistently rank “planet” as the most important aspect of sustainability and “people” as secondary, American pet parents ranked “people” as most important (42%), followed by “planet” (35%).?

Therefore, there isn’t a silver bullet to target “eco-logical” pet parents; rather, sustainable brands must clearly define their target audiences and build their strategies around their unique priorities, whether it be reducing carbon emissions, improving animal welfare, enhancing fair working conditions, or otherwise.?

Understanding Pet Food’s Environmental Impact?

“Through their diet, [dogs and cats] constitute about 25–30% of the environmental impacts from animal production in terms of the use of land, water, fossil fuel, phosphate, and biocides.” — Gregory S. Okin in his paper, “Environmental impacts of food consumption by dogs and cats.”??

You may have heard this statistic, as it has become a popular metric for why sustainability is a necessary venture in the companion animal space. It’s even been covered by popular mainstream media outlets like The Washington Post and Time Magazine. However, I’d like to take a moment to dig deeper into the report from which this statistic came, in an effort to paint a more comprehensive picture of sustainability practices pet food has been championing for decades already.??

This statistic comes from a peer-reviewed paper authored by Gregory Okin published in 2017, and it is indeed compelling. The issue is this statistic does not account for a critical aspect of pet food formulation that has helped save billions of pounds of animal products from the landfill each year—rendered animal byproducts.?

Think of all the tender, juicy, pre-portioned steaks you can shop for at your local grocery store. Now think about where that steak came from, and all the other parts of the animal that could have nutritional value. Not all are deemed fit for human consumption, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t safe or nutritious—it just means that, from a cultural perspective, Americans are largely unwilling to eat them.??

Byproducts commonly used in pet foods include protein meals, organ meats (like offal), and bone meals, and while these parts of an animal don’t typically make it to dinner tables in the United States, there are plenty of cultures around the world who incorporate them into their diets for nutritional benefits and to ensure no part of the animal goes to waste. These ingredients are highly nutritious for our dogs and cats, and if we fail to repurpose them, they will end up rotting in a landfill.?

So, while this statistic serves to highlight the need for sustainability practices along the global food supply chain, there’s more to it that must be considered when determining the net impact our pets have on the planet in terms of animal production. (Keep reading to find out how this ties into greenwashing!)?

Aside from the historical use of animal byproducts, the pet food industry is making headway on several other great sustainability initiatives, from ingredients to packaging to animal welfare and beyond. Let’s explore some of those efforts next.?

Eco-Friendly Industry Initiatives?

More Sustainable Packaging??

According to a survey of US pet parents conducted by Loop in October 2022, 76% of respondents said they would be willing to pay more for a pet food product that offers more sustainable packaging.?

There are many companies in the pet nutrition space targeting more sustainable packaging. Efforts along this vein include a shift from multi-material films for flexible bags—like those that most pet food and treats come in—to mono-material polypropylene films, which are more readily recyclable.?

Historically, most pet food bags are made of multi-material films—multiple plastic layers laminated together—and those materials cannot be recycled altogether and are extremely difficult to separate in a recycling stream, making them nearly impossible to recycle. Using mono-material films makes these bags easier to recycle, but the fortitude of our recycling infrastructure remains a key barrier for achieving a more circular economy for plastics. Hear more about this in a recent episode of Barking Mad.?

?Another measure some companies are taking is to reduce the amount of virgin plastics (the industry term for brand-new plastics that haven’t seen the market yet) they use in their packaging, opting to use post-consumer or post-industrial plastics instead.??

Many multinational brands have made hefty commitments along these lines, and buy-in from these large companies is an important message for the rest of the industry—sustainable packaging is important, and worth investing in. However, it is important to note that executives at Mars, Incorporated—which owns Mars Petcare, one of the largest multinational pet care companies operating today—recently shared with Packaging Dive their doubts about reaching the company-wide sustainable packaging goals they’ve set for 2025. They cited design and infrastructure changes, as well as lacking recycling infrastructure, as reasons for anticipated delays.?

While sustainable packaging may seem like “low-hanging fruit” in the quest for sustainability, there are more variables to consider than meet the eye. This will be an interesting space to watch, as many companies have set their goals for 2025, and the clock is ticking.??

Alternative Proteins & Ingredients?

There are a myriad of alternative protein ingredients emerging in the pet nutrition space, and this market is also a prime avenue for other nascent ways we can save food from being wasted.?

In the alternative protein space, three opportunities come to mind—cultured protein, insect protein, and plant-based protein.??

While there is not currently a regulatory term to describe the cultured protein category, there are two main ways producers are exploring this space: through fermentation and through cultivation. Both involve growing animal proteins in a controlled lab environment and offer the ability to create clean, custom proteins—including the potential for tailoring these proteins to have amino acid profiles, protein and fat contents, and other customizations based on the needs of the end user, pet or otherwise. These methods also offer a way to reduce the industry’s reliance on traditional animal production and improve animal welfare in sourcing practices.?

When it comes to insect protein, the “ick factor” remains a key barrier for adoption of these diets in the American market, as does a general lack of information about the nutritional efficacy of these diets.??

In a 2023 survey conducted by Loop, 68% of pet parents said they would not be willing to feed an insect-based diet to their pet, with 55% citing they are skeptical of the nutritional quality, 49% expressing disgust at the idea, and 43% considering the health risks to be “too great.” On the flip side, the 32% of pet parents who would be willing to try an insect-based diet for their pets are most likely to try an insect-based kibble or dry complete-and-balanced food format (69%), while 53% would be willing to try an insect-based treat. Acceptance was lower for wet foods (36%) and dietary supplements (26%).??

In all, 76% of American pet parents say they don’t know enough about insect-based pet food to feel comfortable introducing it to their companions’ diets. This makes education a prime opportunity if the industry wants to see these diets adopted more broadly. Luckily, more and more research is surfacing about the safety and effectiveness of insect-based proteins in dogs and cats—it will just be a matter of bringing consumers along in a way that is educational, transparent, and prioritizes pet health and wellness.?

Lastly, the merits of plant-based protein in pet food are picking up speed as more and more research points to the ability for dogs to survive on these types of diets—but can they truly thrive? While more research is needed to determine the latter, there are many exciting innovations happening in this space, from the use of genetically modified soybeans that mimic pork protein to emerging research opening doors for plant-based cat nutrition (crazy, I know!).?

Of course, there are others. For example, when asked, “Which ingredient as the main protein source in pet food is a solution regarding sustainability?” eggs (92%) and microalgae (52%) were among the top three answers, alongside plant-derived proteins (76%). As we continue to explore the possibilities for alternative proteins for pets, our team of experts will be keeping close tabs on the research and conversations that emerge.?

Still hungry for alternative protein insights? Check out this recent episode of Barking Mad to satisfy your craving.?

Addressing Value Chain Emissions?

Some companies, particularly large multinational brands, are undertaking sustainability efforts at a systemic level by aiming to reduce their overall greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the value chain. The “value chain” refers to all inputs and outputs that come from sourcing, preparing, manufacturing, distributing, selling, and disposing of a given product.??

?When a company looks at value chain emissions, they are not only studying their own direct impacts from manufacturing, but also the emissions generated from creating the raw materials needed during the manufacturing process, as well as emissions from transportation, retail, and the end-of-life for that product. By taking this 10,000-foot view, manufacturers can work intimately and collaboratively with their suppliers and partners on both sides of the process to reduce GHG emissions in a more holistic way.??

Other companies are approaching the bigger picture by committing to “net zero” or “carbon neutrality” goals. This is being done by partnering with groups like rePurpose Global to recover as much or more plastic from the environment than they generate through their products, or by contributing to other initiatives that plant more trees, restore endangered coral reefs, or offset emissions in other ways.?

These offset efforts seem to be gaining traction with consumers. According to Loop, 61% of American pet parents would be willing to spend more for a product that is carbon neutral. Additionally, 64% say they research a product or company’s sustainability initiatives and environmental impacts before purchasing, meaning sustainability is accelerating from a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have.”??

For any brands or companies looking to make a more positive impact on their environment, first it’s important to assess the impact of your business as it stands today through tools like a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Nonprofit organizations like the Pet Sustainability Coalition and the Institute for Feed Education and Research (IFEEDER) offer LCA reporting tools for companies seeking assessment of their current product assortment or comparisons with more sustainable alternatives. By conducting analysis and research like this, companies can make informed decisions about which sustainability initiatives will be most impactful and most attainable for their individual products.??

Beware of Greenwashing?

Remember when we were discussing the 25% to 30% statistic earlier? Well, that metric could be considered greenwashing because it fails to fully represent the environmental impact—both positive and negative—of pet ownership in the United States.?

Pet food’s use of byproducts from the animal production industry is undoubtedly sustainable, and ignoring this fact means painting only a partial picture of pets’ true impact. Don’t get me wrong—yes, I wholeheartedly believe sustainability initiatives like the ones shared above are vital for the future of the pet industry and the future of the planet. But we mustn’t forget the industry’s historical use of these otherwise wasted resources.?

Greenwashing is a complex problem and happens when companies cherry-pick or overstate sustainability claims in their marketing messages that could mislead consumers into believing that brand or company is more sustainable than they really are. In fact, according to Loop, more than half (54%) of American owners are skeptical when a pet food company claims their products are sustainable, and greenwashing is a key contributing factor here. Thus, transparency and honesty are best practices for brands seeking to communicate their greater goods to an increasingly savvy and scrutinous base of sustainability-minded consumers.?

Keeping Up?

As evidenced throughout this article, sustainability can be a tough nut to crack. Priorities, initiatives, and progress will vary from company to company and market to market, which can make it difficult for consumers to discern which brands to trust and align with. This makes transparency, truthfulness, and education imperative for the widespread adoption of more sustainable pet care products.?

At BSM Partners and Barking Mad, we make it our business to keep up with trends across the industry and around the world—sustainability included—to bring you timely insights and expert opinions aimed at helping pet parents decipher the complex code of pet nutrition. Tune in to the podcast and keep up with our thought leadership content on LinkedIn and our website, www.bsmpartners.net, to learn how our educational platforms and full suite of consulting services are helping to advance pet care to the next level, with pets, people, and planet at the center.?

Looking for more about sustainability across the pet care space? Follow and subscribe to Barking Mad on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform to stay tuned for our Sustainability Series launching soon!?

About the Author?

Jordan Tyler is the Director of Media at BSM Partners. She has more than six years of experience reporting on trends, best practices and developments in the North American pet nutrition industry. Jordan resides in Bentonville, Arkansas, with her husband and their four furry family members.?