The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking for public comment “for Information Targeting Serial Acquisitions, Roll-Up Strategies Across U.S. Economy”.
The announcement states these agencies: “seeks information on serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies in which corporate actors, including private equity owned businesses, become larger—and potentially dominant—through acquisitions of several smaller firms in the same or related business sectors or industries.”
“Often, businesses do not have to report these deals to the federal antitrust agencies, allowing firms to amass significant control over key products, services, or labor markets without government scrutiny. These types of transactions can harm competition to the detriment of consumers, workers, and innovation across an entire industry or business sector.”
We (Association for Truth in Pet Food) submitted our comment focusing on just a few issues of concern. Click Here to read our full comment.
Briefly, we addressed Mars Petcare’s and Purina Petcare’s massive number of pet food businesses.
“Mars Petcare owns multiple pet care businesses in multiple areas of pet care. Mars currently owns:Veterinary and Diagnostic Services: Mars Veterinary Health, AniCura, Antech, Asia Veterinary Diagnostics, Banfield Pet Hospital, Blue Pearl, Heska Veterinary Diagnostics, Linnaeus, Mount Pleasant Veterinary Group, VCA Animal Hospitals, Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Hospital, Veterinary Specialty Hospital.”
“Pet Nutrition and Therapeutic Health Services: Acana, API, Aquarian, Buckeye Nutrition, Catsan, Cesar, Chappie. Crave, Dreamies, Eukanuba, Greenies, Iams, James Wellbeloved, Kitekat, Lovebug, Misfits, My Cat DNA, My Dog DNA, Natusan, NomNom, Nutro, Orijen, Peawee, Pedigree, Perfect Fit, Royal Canin, Sheba, Spillers, Temptations, Thomas, Whiskas, Winergy.”
“Innovation and Technology for Pets: Companion Fund, FluffyGo, Kinship, Leap Venture Studio, Pet Insight Project, Vet Insight, Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Whistle, Wisdom Panel.”
Source: https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars/petcare
“Purina Petcare owns a similar large number of pet food brands; Alpo, Beggin, Beneful, Beyond, Busy Bone, Dentalife, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Kit & Kaboodle, Moist & Meaty, Purina Cat & Dog Chow, Purina One, Purina Pro Plan, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, Whisker Lickin’s. One brand alone – Purina Pro Plan manufactures ‘more than 175 pet food formulas.’ The Purina Pro Plan website provides 227 total Pro Plan pet foods.”
Source: https://www.purina.com/pro-plan/products
We also addressed in our comment the pet food manufacturer donations to universities that also are charged with regulating pet food.
Pet owners are urged to submit their comments. Provide as much detail as you can in your comment to evidence corporate control and explain how it could or has caused consumer harm.
Post your comment on Regulations.gov here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FTC-2024-0028-0001
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Author Buyer Beware, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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Mel Oyler
August 21, 2024 at 5:57 pm
Bottom line: My vet of many years was bought out by a corporate conglomerate – what happened next: Actual care went downhill, employees were sad/non motivated and left so constant change of staff, and my own vet (tho she knew i already had gr8 pet insurance) kept selling me on additional pet ins through the practice – UGH – they weren’t concerned with me and my pets anymore unfort.
And, pet food shopping for best ingredients has truly become a joke anymore – the smaller companies with the ethics get bought out by the Giant Purina companies of the world, that substitute unnatural ingredients and more fillers – PLEASE HELP THE PET OWNER!!!