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Purina Sued for Natural Claims

The lawsuit claims Purina markets their pet foods as “Natural” when they contain synthetic ingredients.

A lawsuit was recently filed against Purina Petcare Company in the state of New York. The lawsuit claims  Purina markets its pet foods “in a systematically misleading manner that many of its products are natural” – when the pet foods actually contain “multiple synthetic ingredients.”

The lawsuit states: “Defendant clearly claims the Products are ‘natural’ on the Products’ label, capitalizing on the preference of health-conscious pet owners to purchase pet food that is free from synthetic ingredients.” The court documents provide this example:

The lawsuit continues: “However, Defendant’s Products contain multiple synthetic ingredients.” Examples of synthetic ingredients provided were “zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, calcium pantothenate (or D-calcium pantothenate), thiamine mononitrate, l-lysine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrochloride, and menadione sodium bisulfite complex.”

As a result of its deceptive conduct, Defendant violates state consumer protection statutes and has been unjustly enriched at the expense of consumers.”

Defendant’s labeling and advertising puts forth a straightforward, material message: the Products contain only ingredients that are natural. Reasonable consumers would understand Defendant’s labeling to mean that the Products contain only natural ingredients, and not any synthetic substances.”

Because the labeling claim uses the word ‘and’ rather than ‘but,’ and does not specify that the added vitamins, minerals and/or nutrients are synthetic, a reasonable consumer would expect that the ‘added vitamins, minerals and nutrients’ are natural as well.”

Do you agree? Does Purina’s label claim – “Natural Cat Food with added vitamins, minerals & nutrients” transparently tell consumers this pet food contains un-natural (synthetic) ingredients? Or is the statement misleading?

For more information on this lawsuit pet owners can contact the law firm listed on the court documents:
BURSOR & FISHER, P.A.
Joshua D. Arisohn
Julian C. Diamond
1330 Avenue of the Americas, 32nd Fl.
New York, NY 10019
Telephone: (646) 837-7150

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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9 Comments

9 Comments

  1. Sandy M

    October 25, 2023 at 1:04 pm

    Thank you Susan for keeping us informed in real time and for having the “Recall” TAB on your website where you share past issues.

  2. Barbara Fellnermayr

    October 25, 2023 at 1:34 pm

    Unfortunately, the word “natural” has been bastardized by marketers, in both human and pet food. The word natural doesn’t mean anything anymore. I would love to see that actual salmon they use because I’m 100% positive it isn’t what is shown on the label.

    It is so frustrating from the perspective of a company that really only uses natural ingredients. I won’t use the word natural in any of my advertising because the word doesn’t mean anything anymore.

  3. Kitty'sMom

    October 25, 2023 at 4:27 pm

    Perhaps this is a great opportunity to get a real definition for “natural” especially since companies use the word as a marketing ploy knowing full well many will assume there are NO synthetic ingredients in the product. The number of “unnatural” items used in Purina are shocking!!

    • Kitty'sMom

      October 31, 2023 at 3:33 pm

      BTW Susan, thanks for all you do!!

  4. tallen

    October 25, 2023 at 6:55 pm

    The implied usage of “natural” is not processed and no synthetics added. See “wiki natural food”. Since this food is obviously both it’s about time someone called Purina (and eventually the rest of the PFI) on it. What’s more amazing to me is this product is 78% water! Per Walmart you can get 12-3oz cans for $2 each or $8/oz. Or $32/#! Which at 78% moisture is $24.96 worth of water! That remaining 24% doesn’t have much room for all the processed ingredients and synthetic vitamins but you sure are paying a lot for them!

  5. Susan B

    October 25, 2023 at 7:16 pm

    It is widely known that there is no definition of natural for human food, and that marketing can throw the word around with abandon. It surprises me that you expected anything different for pet foods.

    • Susan Thixton

      October 27, 2023 at 2:11 pm

      But there is a legal definition of natural in pet food.

  6. Geena Hanlon

    October 25, 2023 at 8:41 pm

    Susan, if we win the LOTTERY we know exactly where it’s going!

    We have learned so much from you and can not thank you enough!

    My spouse and I have taken in many animals for the past 35 years. Providing a safe haven and a forever home. Feeding what we thought was quality food.

    From the bottom of our hearts we thank you,

    Geena and Cindy

  7. Amy

    October 27, 2023 at 11:29 am

    Can we call it “unnatural cat food”?

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