The rise of natural pet treats

Natural has become a buzzword in the pet food industry in recent times. But what does it mean and how can retailers ensure they are tapping into the natural movement?

The natural trend

As with most industries, trends hit the pet trade which impact the products customers want to buy. The desire for natural pet treats is part of a wider movement which has seen owners want to provide a better quality of care for their pets.

At Pet Product Marketing, we’ve often discussed the pet humanisation trend where owners see their animals as part of the family. Terms like ‘pet parents’ and ‘fur babies’ are reflective of how pets are becoming to be seen as more human. With this, owners now want to give their pets a better level of care. While the pandemic brought into focus our own human health and how what we eat can impact this, it is the same for our pets.

Owners are now more conscious of wanting to give their pets nutrition which supports their health. The days of commonly giving pets low quality meats and scraps of our own junk food are long gone. Consumers want treats that their pets will love, but that also will aid their health. That’s why you will often see treats described as more functional, as brands promote how the treats can be used to improve animal lives. That’s where natural comes in.

Natural treats are seen as going back to good quality nutrition, away from artificial additives. Ingredients are in the spotlight and there is an emphasis on moving away from over processing food and treats, and letting the natural goodness of ingredients be the most important thing.

It is a movement that is very much here to stay. Perhaps the best highlight of this is that a few years ago, you would have seen many owners baulk at the idea of going to the pet shop and buying their dog a treat which is a dried rabbit’s ear with fur on. The proposition would have had too much of the ‘yuk’ factor for some owners, but that has vastly changed. Owners’ priority has become animal health, which is only natural really!

What does natural mean?

UK Pet Food is an association for pet food manufacturers, suppliers, and the wider industry. Their members account for over 90% of the pet food market in the UK. On their website, UK Pet Food has the following definition of natural:

“The term ‘natural’ should be used only to describe those pet food ingredients to which nothing has been added and which have been subjected only to such physical processing as to make them suitable for pet food production and maintaining the natural composition. Additionally, all pet foods marketed as ‘natural’ must only be made with natural ingredients and the food must not contain any chemically synthesised ingredients.”

Processes which are described as supporting the term natural include freezing, concentration, extraction (without chemicals), drying, pasteurisation, or smoking (without chemicals). It is all about maintaining the natural composition of the ingredient. Think of dried pigs’ or rabbits’ ears (and a huge array of dried animal body parts) which have become hugely popular with dog owners to give their canine companions. The only ingredient is the body part of the animal which is dried. Dogs love the taste and the texture is often beneficial for getting dogs to chew which releases natural endorphins and good for dental health as it cleans teeth. Some brands of loose natural treats are looking at ways of bagging them to make them easier for owners to handle.

Many forms of cooking, such as baking and extrusion, are not classed as natural. This is because there is an argument that during cooking some of the nutritional value of the ingredients is lost. This doesn’t necessarily mean cooked treats are bad for pets, that the cooking method is unnatural, or that they contain artificial additives (although this is possible) — it just means that they are not classed as natural by this definition. The natural composition is changed during cooking. Brands that do believe in high quality ingredients without artificial additives often use slightly different phrasing to promote the benefits of their products.

Made with natural ingredients…

Manufacturers that produce treats that are not classed as strictly natural, but use natural ingredients can be labelled as ‘Made with natural ingredients’ or just ‘natural ingredients.’

For example, a producer may decide to use a gentle cooking method, such as baking, as they believe not much of the nutritional value is lost during the process, as well as it helping to create a treat that pets find really appetising and come in a convenient format for owners. The producer is permitted to label their treats as made with natural ingredients. So they often will do! You will notice it on the packaging as these brands will often believe in the benefits of natural ingredients and want to highlight it to owners.

UK Pet Food on their website clarifies that: “The term ‘made with natural…’ may be used provided that the natural components are clearly identified.” So, when researching which natural treats or made with natural ingredients treats to stock in your shop, it is still worth checking the ingredients list to ensure they are delivering the promised benefits.

Common stated benefits of natural treats