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Pet Product Buyer Aware

The winning name. The winners of AAFCO pens. All pet food consumers are going to win with this one.

The winning name. The winners of AAFCO pens. All pet food consumers are going to win with this one.

The name of our soon to be pet food verification program – Pet Product Buyer Aware. This name was submitted by a pet food consumer many of you long time readers of TruthaboutPetFood.com know as ‘Reader’. It fit the entire purpose of our project. The ‘buyer’ needs to be ‘aware’ to the quality of ingredients and the country of origin of each ingredient. Then, consumers can make their own informed decisions to their ‘pet product’ purchases. Information – verified information about the pet products we are purchasing.

(For background information on Pet Product Buyer Aware – click here.)

The problems of commercial pet food are many. The regulations that guide the industry allow some of the most hideous wastes of human food processing to be dumped into pet foods/treats and sold as premium. What is called ‘food’ does not meet the legal requirements of food. Pet food consumers are lied to – misled. Regulatory authorities have shared it is an impossible task to change existing law and have encouraged us to develop our own verification program. This will be the biggest advancement in pet product consumer protection – ever.

Association for Truth in Pet Food (ATPF) – our consumer association – will manage the Pet Product Buyer Aware program. The Pet Product Buyer Aware program will have a formal ‘Standard’ that will be the guidance all verified pet foods and treats will comply to – the verification process will be handled by independent, third-party technical administrators. Pet products that have completed the verification process (verified in compliance with our Standard) will be provided a Pet Product Buyer Aware Verified mark for product labels, website, and other marketing.

When consumers see the Pet Product Buyer Aware Verified mark – they will know this pet food is made with verified human edible ingredients and each ingredient country of origin verified.

Simply put, our Standard will require that all meat, vegetable, fruit, grain, seed, and fat ingredients of a pet food/treat be verified as human edible. Human edible status would require the ingredients are handled, transported, and warehoused under human food requirements (legal requirements). Our Standard will also require country of origin (COO) verification and disclosure to such COO to consumers.

We are not re-inventing the wheel. Actually the Pet Product Buyer Aware program is following the lead of the very successful Non-GMO Project. I’ve emailed and spoken with the Non-GMO Project folks and emailed and spoken with one of their 3rd party technical administrators. Our program is a bit different than Non-GMO Project, but in many ways we are very similar. We will also follow the lead of Non-GMO Project with…

  • Pet Product Buyer Aware will encourage verification of individual ingredient suppliers too. Just as with the Non-GMO project, our human edible ingredient and country of origin verification will be provided as an opportunity to pet food/treat ingredient providers/suppliers. As our Pet Product Buyer Aware program grows, manufacturers will have an array of verified suppliers to purchase ingredients from keeping their food and treat products compliant with our Standard.
  • And also – following the Non-GMO Project guidance – in the future Pet Product Buyer Aware will further help the consumer with listings of retail pet food stores that carry verified pet products.

And even more…

In recent weeks I’ve had discussions with the founder of Center for Pet Safety (http://centerforpetsafety.org/). Our future goal will be to work with this group towards verification/safety testing non-food pet products such as collars, harnesses, and so on. Please visit their website and see what they have done thus far. I’m very excited for Pet Product Buyer Aware to work with Center for Pet Safety to further the goal of safe pet products.

I’m certain, as with the Pledge to Quality and Origin – there will be some pet food/treat manufacturers that will immediately submit their products for verification; we won’t have to ask. But I’m also certain many manufacturers will need a nudge (or two) from their customers. Get ready to nudge…the Pet Product Buyer Aware Verification is coming soon.

Many thanks to all that emailed me and posted comment suggestions for the name of our pet food verification program. As promised AAFCO pens will be in the mail soon!

Winners are:
Reader
Valerie
Andrea

(To Reader, Valerie, Andrea – if you haven’t received an email from me by the time you are reading this – please contact me so that I can mail you your AAFCO logo pen.)

 

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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50 Comments

50 Comments

  1. Tom

    September 4, 2014 at 1:55 pm

    No likie. The first time I read it I thought it said “buyer beware” and I doubt a lot of manufacturers are going to want to put that on their label. Hard to remember, and hard to know intuitively what it means.

    • Susan Thixton

      September 4, 2014 at 2:04 pm

      One comment I received (email) their first thought was the same as yours. But – on second thought, they felt the name drew more attention to the whole point of the project. Making consumers aware to beware of what can be used in some pet foods and ‘aware’ of what these foods (that are verified) are made from.

      I didn’t interpret the name that way – but I understand how this person (and you did). I’m hopeful the concept behind the name will prevail.

      But nothing is written in stone yet.

      • Dianne

        September 4, 2014 at 4:04 pm

        I am afraid that I had the same reaction. I read it as buyer beware and if I were in a hurry and not really familiar with the program I would pass the food by, while wondering who would want to have buyer beware on their product. Perhaps using Pet Product Buy Aware or Pet Product Buyer Awareness. Either would be enough of a visual break to keep the meaning clear.

      • Jacque

        September 4, 2014 at 4:17 pm

        I did the same, I thought that this was going to announce a really bad product to be careful of. Sorry.
        It is a great idea and I understand, now, why you are calling it this but I would rethink the initial reaction too.

        • Christine

          September 5, 2014 at 2:01 pm

          I was actually coming to the comments to say the same thing – I read it several times as Buyer Beware before I even realized that I was incorrect. It would be easy to picture the marketing folks of a pet food to worry that consumers will glance at it and think it says beware. Perhaps if it’s done as a “seal” with Pet Product Buyer in the top part of the circle, and the single word Aware as the bottom, it will break it up visually. I love the concept of this project, but all of it is difficult to say, even Pet Product Buyer doesn’t roll off the tongue very easily. I don’t want to be a wet blanket

    • Jo Gunter

      September 4, 2014 at 4:12 pm

      Hate to say it, but I agree, Tom. If I were a manufacturer, I would not want to put that on my packaging. Also, I had to re-read it 5 times and think about it just to figure out what it meant.

    • Rita

      September 4, 2014 at 6:57 pm

      I have to agree too. I read it as Beware instead of Aware and I don’t think a company will want to put that on their label. Absolutely awesome idea to verify ingredients and origin but I think it needs a different name.

  2. Darlene

    September 4, 2014 at 2:25 pm

    I saw beware as well….

  3. Deb

    September 4, 2014 at 2:26 pm

    I have to agree wholeheartedly with Tom – not only did I have to read and RE-read the new name in order to clarify that it said, “Aware”, and not “BEWARE”, but each time I see the word “aware”, the FIRST thought that pops into my mind is the well-known caveat, BUYER BEWARE…..That is the automatic word association that most people will probably have, whenever they see this name.

    Sorry, but I don’t like it either, and if I were a manufacturer, I would NEVER put something like that on my product label !!!! The majority of the buying-public is not as “tuned-in” to the issues & problems of pet food content as we all are, and the manufacturers know this.

    • Susan Thixton

      September 4, 2014 at 2:36 pm

      Don’t be sorry – your input is welcome. We want this to be right. But before Buyer Aware gets discounted – realize that a logo would emphasize the ‘Aware’ part. I like the ‘Aware’ – but I’m just one vote.

  4. Lindsey Wolko

    September 4, 2014 at 2:29 pm

    Thank you Susan, we’re on a similar path working to help pet owners! Center for Pet Safety announced our certification program in July, and pet owners can begin to look for the CPS logo on product packaging (non-food related) to guide you to these elite performing products. Currently one manufacturer has been crash test certified by CPS – and you can look for other brands in the future as they complete the needed due diligence to qualify for testing. You can check for brand participation on our website: http://centerforpetsafety.org/cps-certified/ and review the crash test evidence that supports the certification. The testing and performance requirements are very rigorous – as we know your pet food certification will be! Cheers!

  5. Susan Thixton

    September 4, 2014 at 2:38 pm

    Name just emailed to me: “Pet Food Buyer Awareness”

    • Dianne

      September 4, 2014 at 4:13 pm

      Did someone just email that to you as I posted it in the reply?

      • Susan Thixton

        September 4, 2014 at 4:28 pm

        Yes – I received that suggestion in an email today.

    • Christine

      September 5, 2014 at 2:08 pm

      Pet Food Buyer Awareness is much better

  6. Pacific Sun

    September 4, 2014 at 2:42 pm

    I think the trick is how do you wrap up into a single connotation all the assurances a consumer wants in a PF? A buyer does NOT want a feed to be toxic, tainted, diseased, garbage, or industrial waste that is produced in a plant with infestations and processing failures, and to that purpose, Susan wrote a book called “Buyer Beware” calling out all of those problems. That was Step I of the process.

    Step 2 is teaching consumers to demand safety and nutrition instead. Therefore human grade food quality is the necessary standard. After years of TAPF articles, revelations, and insider tips, informed pet owners are now “Buyer Aware.” This verification program will give the consumers a TOOL to make a choice. It may not be a requirement for every pet owner out there. We’ve read plenty of anecdotes about people just doing the best they can within budget. But everyone at least has the right to make an informed decision. The PFI is about the only one in this Nation of (so-called) freedoms and integrity, which is not held to truthful transparency. It is hoped, when consumers are given the right tool (and indeed it’ll be the only tool) that their decision will drive the market to improvement!

    Step 3, will BE the market improving.

  7. Tyler

    September 4, 2014 at 2:46 pm

    “Seal of Consumer Transparency”

  8. Laurie

    September 4, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    I also read Pet Product Buyer Beware both in your email and when I followed the link to this page. I thought it was another of your great warnings you share with us.

    If enough people are “seeing ” that at first glance, might be a sign to re-tool the name before it goes further. (The Buyer Awareness is a great suggestion.) LOVE the concept though!

    Thanks for all you do for so many!

    • Sandy Short

      September 4, 2014 at 3:33 pm

      Ditto what Laurie said…

      And thank you, Susan- you are such a hero to all of us!

  9. Caralee

    September 4, 2014 at 3:40 pm

    What if you changed the order to disarm what is automatically seen by most people?

    “Pet Product for the Aware Buyer”.

  10. Diane

    September 4, 2014 at 3:45 pm

    I read beware also, ans it’s too wordy. Why not something simple like “Pet Healthy” ?
    The logo will be the most important part, something simple again.

  11. Amanda

    September 4, 2014 at 4:12 pm

    I too had to read and reread the name. I like the use of the words “transparency” and “awareness” in the name. Some names that come to mind:
    “Pet Product Transparency Pledge”
    “Pet Food Ingredient Awareness”
    “Pet Product Transparency Awareness”
    “Pet Product Ingredient Transparency”
    “Seal of Consumer Awareness”
    “Aware Consumer Approved”

  12. Eileen

    September 4, 2014 at 4:49 pm

    If you just want to tweak it a little “Pet Product Buyer Awareness” might work, as was mentioned. Seems a little clearer.
    I was also thinking of ‘Buyer Beware’ when I first glanced at the phrase – probably the mind sees that phrase more commonly.

    And, also, thank you Susan for all your efforts on our (and pets) behalf.

  13. Just Brainstorming...

    September 4, 2014 at 4:57 pm

    PF Consumer Certified
    Buyer Certified
    Verified Ingredients/Origin
    Origin & Ingredients Verified
    PF Transparency Project
    Quality Assured PF
    TAPF Approved
    ATPF Approved
    Best Practices Certified
    Ingredients & Origin Verified
    Approved Standards & Practices
    Clear Choice PF
    Clarion PF
    1st Choice PF
    Verified Human Grade PF
    Above Standard PF
    1st Award PF
    Quality One PF
    PF Quality & Origin Assured
    Approved Quality & Origin
    Quality & Origin Verified
    PF Consumer’s Choice
    First Choice Award
    Award One
    Standards & Practices Approved
    Excellence in Manufacturing
    PF Seal of Approval
    Product Certified Origin & Ingredients
    Certified First Quality Pet Food
    PF Consumer Advocacy Project
    Premier PF Program

    • Deb

      September 4, 2014 at 5:53 pm

      There are some good ones in this list !!

    • Christine

      September 5, 2014 at 2:12 pm

      Quality & Origin Verified is great

  14. One more idea-

    September 4, 2014 at 5:23 pm

    Safe PF Verified

    • Madeleine

      September 4, 2014 at 8:58 pm

      Just Brainstorming, good brainstorming. As I think Susan wants to incorporate all pet products inclusive of food, perhaps:
      Pet Product Consumer Certified – PPCC
      Pet Product Transparency Project – PPTP
      Those are my favs.

  15. T Allen

    September 4, 2014 at 5:31 pm

    I totally agree with all the comments against Buyer Aware and like Buyer Awareness, which is short and accurate!

  16. Lori S.

    September 4, 2014 at 6:29 pm

    Unfortunately, I have to agree that I saw “beware” as well. How about Certified: Food, Not Feed.

  17. Jane

    September 4, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    Ingredients and Origin verified. Direct and to the point. The average consumer will not know what TAPF, ATPF, PF stand for. Other statements can sound like hype that the manufacturers print on the bags like “natural” which means nothing.

    • Susan Thixton

      September 4, 2014 at 6:48 pm

      I like this. This is what we are doing and is simple for anyone to understand. If they want more information on what ‘verified’ is – they can learn that from the website. But ‘verified’ in itself will mean something to most consumers.

    • Janet

      September 4, 2014 at 11:58 pm

      “Ingredients and Origin Verified” works for me! “Pet Product Buyer Aware Verified” is OK, but isn’t as clear and might be misconstrued as a consumer warning that there’s something potentially wrong with the product.

      To me the name of the verification should imply trust. If you’re accepting logo ideas, I would suggest a caricature of a paw giving the OK signal. Or a furry “thumb” up.

    • Dianne

      September 5, 2014 at 3:50 pm

      I really like this as well. Best so far.

  18. Stephanie

    September 4, 2014 at 6:46 pm

    I like the concept of Aware but think the words Verified or Certified hold more meaning that the product has to pass some sort of requirement. If Aware is used, I’d hope that word significantly stands out more than the others in the logo to avoid confusion. I do like the word Buyer to be included, to clearly state who is being represented (as opposed to the manufacturer or industry). I would vote for something like Pet Product Buyer Verified.

    • Susan Thixton

      September 4, 2014 at 6:55 pm

      How it will work is the program name – example with Pet Product Buyer Aware. When pet foods/treats have been verified to comply to our Standard – the product can promote ‘Pet Product Buyer Aware Verified’. So regardless of the name, those that are verified to comply with our Standard will get ‘verified’ status. Hope that makes sense.

      • Dianne

        September 4, 2014 at 9:24 pm

        Very clear, and concise. I LIKE it!

  19. Sandy

    September 5, 2014 at 5:30 am

    I think the program is great. Good thinking. Good luck.

  20. Jane

    September 5, 2014 at 8:46 am

    People seem to want the word Buyer included. To get the buyer’s attention start with BUYER ALERT! Ingredients and Origin Verified. You have to attract the attention of the total novice pet owner as I was at one time. This won’t be easy unless something really stands out. Do you plan to put a web site on the bag for more information?

    • Susan Thixton

      September 5, 2014 at 8:55 am

      The goal is for cross promotion. Manufacturers promote their products have been verified, the Association promotes companies that have gone through the verification process, independent pet stores promote they sell verified products, consumers promote verified products. I can visualize television commercials in the future advertising the _______ (name to be determined) Verified pet foods. The sky is the limit. We will all be working together – consumers, manufacturers, retailers – a unique system to pet food. But I believe one that is greatly needed.

    • Dianne

      September 5, 2014 at 2:18 pm

      I am thinking that words like alert or aware have negative feelings attached to them. You need to use words with strong positive associations like verified, approved or certified. Some universities provide small businesses a hand with choice of name etc. It might be good to run the final choices past a cognitive psychologist or advertising firm.

      Charge the manufacturer a token fee for the use of the seal. It could make it easier to stop the use of the seal by a company that is no longer in compliance. Perhaps a visit with a lawyer in this kind of area would be a very good idea.

      • Reader

        September 5, 2014 at 4:09 pm

        Folks you have to remember the budget is still limited. Advertising and Lawyers = “Cha,Ching” that is unless there are some readers out there with the expertise. As far as name recognition goes, as an audience, decide what makes sense to YOU, you’re the buyer, you’re the consumer. What is it you want a pet food to be? … You want those ingredients to be human grade (the opposite of rendered, toxic waste!) and you want to know from where the ingredients come. If more becomes available that’s great too. But those are the basics. Susan’s program offers a verification process to insure and encourage compliance. By the way, as a 3rd party it’s difficult to “guarantee” 100% safety and so there’s a limitation in working in the name “safety”, even human food is recalled every day. But making the manufacturers accountable with a signature of verification certainly does step up a company’s level of oversight and responsibility. (I believe) the First Alert membership will also be part of the program as well.

        There you have it. The minimum of what PF consumers require.

        Ingredients and Origin Verified!

        Let’s give Susan a “thumbs up” so she can move forward. There is a ton of work to be done!!

        • Ann*

          September 22, 2014 at 11:25 am

          I like the Ingredients and Origin Verified label. I am always looking for country of origin labeling which is very difficult to find. I think this wording is all positive and reassuring and clear as to its meaning. Maybe the label or seal could include the Pet Product Buyer Aware(ness) words in smaller font in the label/seal below the Ingredients and Origin Verified.

  21. Dianne

    September 5, 2014 at 2:04 pm

    You could use consumer instead of buyer.

  22. Dianne

    September 5, 2014 at 2:07 pm

    It might be a good idea to run a couple of suggestions past some of the pet food producers to see how they feel about it. After all, they are the ones who will have to get it printed on their food.

  23. Mike L

    September 7, 2014 at 12:48 pm

    Yup, my pointy little head did the “buyer beware” thing, too.

    “Buy Aware – Pet Product Certified” or just “Buy Aware Pet Product Certified” and then there’s “Certified Buy Aware Pet Product”. I like the use of “Aware” and lean toward language that encourages involvement and pro-activity by the purchaser.

    Anywho, keep up the great work please. I can’t wait to contact various pet food companies to query them on plans to become certified.

  24. Ellie

    September 8, 2014 at 4:13 am

    I suppose Buyer AWARE could work depending on how it is depicted on the label. “Aware” would have to be made to appear more outstanding than the “buyer” part of the title.
    I guess my concern is how would the public be made aware of such a rating? I have a feeling that most of the larger pet food companies would not comply with the standards and so most consumers would be unaware of the fact that such a rating existed.

    • Reader

      September 8, 2014 at 11:29 am

      I have a feeling that most of the larger companies don’t comply with any standards except for violating things they can actually go to jail for. So the idea of this program is to set apart the companies doing things right! What “we” already” know as The List, The Pledge, First Alert. To be able to convince merchants the value of a company’s authentication, transparency& accessibility. The proper symbol on a package (hopefully) opens up the conversation as to why it’s there (or even needed) in the first place. But even better I would like to see on a package and incorporated into the “square” that smartphone users scan, a way to take consumers right to “our” website. Once into the subject of the TAPF well that’s where the power of the program takes off! And then enables other people to share information & experience (not by scaring them to death about the hazards of the horrible… my friends have stopped listening). But by giving them such an easy TOOL for them to shop like an “aware” (educated) buyer!

      Who doesn’t want to look and act like a smart consumer?

      • Ellie

        September 10, 2014 at 9:00 am

        Most people don’t want to hear about the horrible ingredients that are contained in pet foods because usually they have already tuned out about how they and their families should eat healthy. Sadly, and obviously, most Americans just don’t care about what they are putting in their mouths or the consequences of eating unhealthy foods. If they don’t care about what they themselves are eating they usually do not care about what their pets are eating.
        Since the majority of Americans buy their pet food from the big pet food manufacturers the chances of their finding out about a seal identifying the healthier pet foods are slim. It would be nice if some sort of information campaign could be conducted to make the public aware of the seal and what it represents.
        I have yet to find a healthy pet food in any department store or grocery store but if people were aware that such a seal existed then maybe they would start asking their stores to start stocking products that did have the Buyer AWARE seal.

  25. Dr. Oscar Chavez

    September 10, 2014 at 11:33 pm

    Love the concept!

    Playing off of Certified Non-GMO, what about Certified Non-TOXIC. The Association can then go on to define what they mean as Toxic. The options for the logo are many, and could be awesome. This would be a certification that manufacturers (like us at JustFoodForDogs) would be proud to put on our labels as it would be clearly and legally defined what you consider potentially toxic:
    Feed grade ingredients
    Rendered by-products
    “meals” of any kind
    Feed grade grains that may contain Aflatoxin, mycotoxins, etc
    etc, etc, etc

    I think something like this could get the POW you want on the label.

    Just thinking out loud.

    OC

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