Purina Pet Food issued a press release this week stating Blue Buffalo admitted in court that a “substantial” and “material” portion of their pet food sold to consumers contained by-products. Purina stated Blue Buffalo owes consumers an apology.
It’s been about a year since this pet food battle began. Purina filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo in May of 2014. Purina claimed that testing revealed that Blue Buffalo pet foods contain poultry by-products even though Blue’s advertising proudly claimed their products had no by-product ingredient.
Blue Buffalo responded a couple of days later stating “Blue Buffalo does not use chicken by-product meal or poultry by-product meal in any of our products” and called the lawsuit “baseless”.
A few days after that (5/14/14) Blue Buffalo filed a countersuit against Purina “accusing the rival pet-food maker of defamation, unfair competition, false advertising and trade-practice violations.” Blue made the statement “Unlike Nestle, who has a history of favoring litigation over fair and open competition, this is not the way Blue Buffalo likes to do business. We’d much prefer an environment of transparency in which pet parents know the ingredients of every pet food, and decide for themselves which one they want to feed their dog or cat.”
Then in September of 2014, Purina produced their test results on Blue Buffalo Pet Food. Purina’s scientific expert – Dr. Makowski – provided detailed explanation of his testing procedures and findings. Dr. Makowski stated he found “small fragments of egg shell, raw feather and leg scale” – which would indicate by-products. Blue Buffalo hired an expert of their own – Dr. Dravid. Blue Buffalo’s expert seems to tear down every aspect of Purina’s report calling Purina’s science “rudimentary”, “inappropriate methodology” and found that Purina’s expert lab is actually located in a residence.
But then one month later – October 2014 – Blue Buffalo made the announcement that an ingredient supplier “mislabeled” some ingredients selling Blue Buffalo a chicken meal that was actually a by-product meal. Blue Buffalo president put the blame on the ingredient supplier Wilbur-Ellis and told the world this supplier also sold a mislabeled ingredient to other pet food companies as well. “So while their customers were ordering and paying for 100% chicken meal, at times they were receiving shipments that contained poultry by-product meal. Since this Wilbur-Ellis plant was the source of some of our chicken meal, me may have received some of these mislabeled shipments,…”
Notice the Blue Buffalo statement tended to minimize the situation using words like “at times” and “some”.
And then this week, Purina issues a press release stating: “Purina issued the following response to Blue Buffalo’s admission in court yesterday that a “substantial” and “material” portion of Blue Buffalo pet food sold to consumers contained poultry by-product meal, despite pervasive advertising claims to the contrary. Blue Buffalo asked the Court for additional time to file an Amended Complaint in the litigation, naming its ingredient suppliers as Defendants.”
“Substantial” and “material” portion is much different than “at times” and “some“.
Purina’s press release continues with…
“Despite this admission, Blue Buffalo still has not informed consumers of the presence of poultry by-product meal in Blue Buffalo pet food, refuses to accept responsibility for the product it sold, and is instead blaming its suppliers,” said Keith Schopp, a spokesperson for Nestlé Purina Petcare.
On May 6, 2014, Purina filed a lawsuit against Blue Buffalo for false advertising after testing revealed the presence of poultry by-product meal in some of Blue Buffalo’s top selling pet foods. Blue Buffalo’s CEO responded by immediately claiming the testing was “Voodoo Science” and assuring their customers that “Blue Buffalo does not use chicken by-product meal or poultry by-product meal in any of our products.”
According to Schopp, “Only when faced with undeniable evidence from the lawsuit has Blue Buffalo admitted the truth to the court: a ‘substantial’ and ‘material’ portion of Blue Buffalo pet food sold over the past several years contained poultry by-product meal. It is unclear to us if or when this practice stopped, or whether any Blue Buffalo pet food containing by-product meal is still on store shelves.”
No small company, it is estimated that Blue Buffalo sells over a billion dollars of pet food at retail and well over 10 million bags annually.
“Through a $50 million annual advertising campaign that flooded airwaves and pet food aisles alike, Blue Buffalo told consumers over and over, emphatically and without qualification, that its products never contain poultry by-product meal,” said Schopp.
Blue Buffalo also attacked “big name pet food companies,” insinuating that they were somehow misleading consumers. Consumers paid a hefty premium for Blue Buffalo products based on these claims.
“Yet none of these claims were true,” said Schopp.
Schopp added: “Blue Buffalo now claims it had no way of knowing the bags contained by-product meal. A manufacturer is responsible for knowing what’s in its product, and a simple audit of its supply chain would have revealed what we discovered after reviewing the documentation.
“Blue Buffalo owes consumers an apology for all the false statements, false labels, and false advertising. More than this, it is time for Blue Buffalo to be transparent with the public and prove to their ‘pet parents’ that no mislabeled product remains on shelves.”
Personally, I believe it is time for all pet food manufacturers ‘to be transparent with the public’. Just yesterday I chatted with a Purina representative about their new and highly publicized Bright Minds Dog Food. I asked exactly how much “medium chain triglyceride vegetable oil” is included in the dog food (ingredient Purina claims is responsible for improving the mental state and activity level of senior dogs). Purina refused to tell me – stating this was proprietary information. (More on this soon.) Many pet foods do the same when difficult questions are asked by consumers. All of pet food needs to be more transparent – not just Blue Buffalo.
Often, lawsuits are the only way to force the hand of a company – to disclose a truth that consumers need to be alerted to. But are pet food consumers going to benefit from any of this fight between Purina and Blue Buffalo? It is estimated that these two pet food have spent almost $2 million dollars in legal fees alone this past year for this one lawsuit…
3 lawyers each pet food at $300 an hour – an estimated 20 hours a week working on this case = $18,000.00 a week. 52 weeks = $936,000.00 each pet food. Totaling an estimated $1,872,000.00 spent in legal fees alone just for these two pet foods to argue with each other over the past year.
That’s a mighty expensive argument. Wouldn’t that money be better spent on high quality ingredients and full transparency efforts by both companies?
By the way – neither of these pet food companies have provided consumers with their Pledge to Quality and Origin (the simplest and no cost method of transparency available to pet food manufacturers).
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
What’s in Your Pet’s Food?
Is your dog or cat eating risk ingredients? Chinese imports? Petsumer Report tells the ‘rest of the story’ on over 3000 cat foods, dog foods, and pet treats. 30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee. www.PetsumerReport.com
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Susan’s List of trusted pet foods. Click Here
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Bugsy
May 9, 2015 at 1:49 pm
“Blue Buffalo also attacked “big name pet food companies,” insinuating…” BB appears to be desperate. To mention other big names is poor business even if it is true. It isn’t professional, makes them look bad and reminds me of children tactics by pointing blame at each other in order to get attention off themselves, minimize their own part in it, and/or avoid more scrutiny. If they would simply admit and commit to the Pledge, they would come out ahead. As it stands, they’re losing confidence with consumers and are growing more low in my view. I can forgive and move on when someone owns up but the continual cheapshots and accusations serve only to make BB look more pathetic. Truly a sad situation.
Jeanette Owen
May 9, 2015 at 2:06 pm
I fed my cat Blue Buffalo “Wilderness” once a few yrs ago & his hair fell out! WTF! I changed brands & his hair grew back.
Anne
May 9, 2015 at 2:20 pm
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Purina? Really?
Ann*
May 9, 2015 at 8:01 pm
Anne, I was going to say the same thing ~_~
If Purina thinks they can get consumers to switch over to their brand by issuing the press release in this article, I won’t be one of them. Thanks to the large number of products on the market today at least the consumer has the choice of purchasing other than Purina and/or Blue Buffalo. Susan’s list is a good starting point in deciding what brand to choose.
Patricia Bresson
May 10, 2015 at 7:09 am
Was going to say the same. Purina has some kind of chutzpah to talk about others! They are both disgusting!
Kim
May 14, 2015 at 9:08 am
No it’s not the pot calling the kettle black, the problem is BB slandered Purina and other companies slamming them for using chicken by-products while claiming they use only fresh boneless chicken. THAT is the problem and that is why Purina filed suit against BB because they lied and was slamming Purina and other pet food companies for using it…BIG difference.
Christine
May 9, 2015 at 2:20 pm
Oh, it is all such a pitiful shame and waste of money that could be going to doing good. If people (businesses) would only tell the TRUTH and let the consumer decide. We have a cesspool in Washington and IMO, until people get right with Jesus, this stuff is just going to continue and get worse. No wonder I prefer hanging out with my dogs and Christian friends! Thank you Susan et el for ALL you do.
Helen Allen
May 9, 2015 at 2:26 pm
Why doesn’t Purina take that chemical Propylene Glycol out of their dog food products. FYI Propylene Glycol is one of the main ingredients in brake fluid, antifreeze, and is in toothpaste, shampoos, make up products, lipsticks, some baby food products, laxatives. I called Purina and asked why that chemical was in their dry dog food and the lady responded, “They need water in their food.” I said, “Lady, my dog has a bowl of fresh water sitting right next to his dry dog food.” I stopped buying any Purina products and bought Natural Whole Earth made right here in America, in Texas. Before I purchased this I spoke to one of the employees who worked in the Pet store and asked for a natural product with no chemicals. She was nice enough to introduce me to Whole Earth Farms. I read each ingredient and there is no man made chemical in that food. Now, Taffy eats her new food. Before she would stick her nose up and wouldn’t eat for several days. Now, I do not have a problem with her trying to bury the dry food in the sofa. Yes. I will never buy Purina products ever. When they take those harmful man made chemicals out of their products, then maybe, just maybe I’ll, but for now Ms. Taffy is very happy with her new food and I don’t have to worry.
Craig
May 9, 2015 at 5:21 pm
Hi Helen,
Just a quick note on “chemical free”. Just about all dry foods (whole earth farms included) add a vitamin and mineral pack to their formulas to make up for cooking the natural nutrients out. Unfortunately, most of the vitamins are synthetic – man made in a lab. And in many cases they are sourced from India and China and then blended in to the final pack in the USA or Europe before the pet food manufacturer receives them. There are very few “chemical free” foods out there (Nature’s Logic would be one that comes to mind, Champion – Orijen and Acana – is trying to minimize their addition of vitamins and minerals also).
Craig 2
May 14, 2015 at 12:09 pm
Uhhh do you even know what chemicals are? Chemicals are in everything and by everything I mean the natural order of the universe is made up with a vast variety of chemicals..
there’s no such thing as “chemical free” — ANYTHING
the fear of Propylene Glycol is a bit baseless, the reason its used in most products is to depress the freezing point of water (hence why its in your brake lines, your antifreeze) its also used for flavoring, its harmless, common conventionally grown fruits have a higher toxicity than propylene glycol does. Basically without the compound you wouldn’t have any product to feed your animals.
Helen Allen
May 9, 2015 at 2:28 pm
I’m sorry when I referred to my dog as his, Taffy is a she. Sorry.
Dezi and Lexi
May 9, 2015 at 4:15 pm
We agree the money could be better spent on providing quality ingredients and dropping the price of their products. We don’t want to pay for their lawsuits. As for transparency, Purina has no room to talk. They don’t give out the very basest information regarding their foods. And anyone who ansers their phhones can’t answer your questions. You always get a “we’ll get back to you within 48 hours.” And then if you’re lucky you receive some nonsense and a coupon. More often than not you get nothing. Thanks for the info.
Terri janson
May 9, 2015 at 8:38 pm
It’s all such bs. I’m sick and tired of all the lies. I will continue to home make food for my 6 dogs. Yes..it takes time. Doesn’t it take time to make dinner for humans as well? I just look at that round brown kernel and wonder……
Terri janson
May 9, 2015 at 8:47 pm
But…I also worry about how safe our food is with all the GMO crops popping up and not haVing to be labeled and the pesticides used. Vermont is now requiring foods to be GMO labeled now. Wish Michigan would follow suit. I do try to use organic but it is not always possible. I will be growing GMO free organic seeds as much as possible in my garden and freezing pumpkin and butternut squash for part of my ingredients again this year…sorry so long winded. .
Carla
May 11, 2015 at 11:00 am
A little off topic, but:
Instead of mandatory labeling of GMO products, causing added cost that all of us, including those of us who do not have an unjustified fear of GMOs, would bear, perhaps the labeling could be voluntary GMO-Free labeling (albeit this is practically impossible to verify and not necessarily a better/healthier/safer product, much like “organic”), and the added cost borne by those who want to avoid certain items (kind of like “kosher”: we don’t require all non-kosher foods to be labeled as such).
There is a good article about GMO labeling and why it doesn’t make a lot of sense at scienceblogts.com/tomorrowstable/2009/11/08/the-right-to-know-why-gmo-labe/.
Valerie Noyes
May 9, 2015 at 9:16 pm
I am still waiting for Purina to admit their sins, which are, in my opinion, far more heinous than the inclusion of by-products in their food. While Blue needs to be slapped, Purina is despicable.
Dawn
May 9, 2015 at 11:23 pm
Agree. Lots of Purina and parent company employees commenting everywhere and bad mouthing BB
Peter
May 11, 2015 at 7:01 am
This isn’t a lawsuit, really, it is a carefully planned marketing initiative. The text of the legal documents were posted online when it was filed. The complaint itself is written not in the technical “legalese” that one would expect, but in an odd, “consumer friendly” manner so that people would log on and read it. This is breaking new ground and will likely serve as a model for long-range advertising planning for other businesses in the future.
It may seem odd for Purina, a company that makes so many awful products, to choose a tack that would expose themselves to parallel comparison and ridicule. However, they have obviously calculated that risk, and interpret that they can withstand the pressure. In a sense, it is an investment in the future, as BB has undergone steady growth at the expense of larger, established giants such as themselves. This is an attempt to stifle that growth. It’s just business. As the case proceeds, BB will be further damaged, and hopefully for Purina there will be a tipping point where “false advertising” and “lies” etc. become permanently linked with BB.
Much as we might dislike Purina, that would be a fair outcome. BB seems to incorporate deflecting criticism and blaming everyone but themselves as a base element in their own marketing plans. BB issues press releases complaining that “So while their [Wilbur Ellis] customers were ordering and paying for 100% chicken meal, at times they were receiving shipments that contained poultry by-product meal.” What about BB customers who paid for 100% chicken meal? There has been no thought of compensation for customers who paid for something they did not get. And there seems to be no plans to ever consider that.
Trouble
May 11, 2015 at 8:36 pm
I agree with you – the things Purina has done, and continues to do, is absolutely evil, in my eyes. When I looked at my animals, and think about what could happen to them in the short-term and long-term, if I were to feed them Purina products, it makes me so sad. It makes me sad for all of the dogs and cats I see and know of, every day that I’m at work (I work in the pet industry). I’ve had so many people come to me after 4 – 6 weeks, thanking me to no end, for sharing my knowledge and showing them what makes a good or bad pet food. I had someone in tears, they were so grateful, because their dogs are their children, which is exactly how I feel about mine.
Despite that Purina’s actions are clearly wrong in every sense of the word… Blue Buffalo’s actions should not take a backseat to Purina. I see how many bags, cans, and treats are sold every single day by both companies. You know who takes home the gold, with number of items sold and profit? Blue Buffalo, hands down. Why? Because more people are educated and aware of the ill effects of horrid pet food like Purina. It doesn’t take much to steer people in a better direction for their pets. However, Blue Buffalo has flooded the market, has brainwashed so many people in so many corners of the pet world that they are doing far more damage (in terms of number of pets affected) than Purina. Purina certainly wins out as far as the intensity of the damage done, but Blue Buffalo has them beat with how many lives they impact, overall.
Prior to gaining my eye-opening information and knowledge about pet food, I once (very briefly) worked for Blue Buffalo, as a rep. ….I can tell you, quite honestly, that they are far more aggressive with meeting quotas, making sales, and basically beating up the other companies to make themselves look better, than any other company I’ve ever seen. I didn’t stay with them long, because I realized that I was in the wrong position, in terms of helping people. I thought I was doing something wonderful, showing people a good brand of food… I was brainwashed, just like everyone else. But working for the company changed that. They are snakes in the grass… At least Purina’s indiscretions are blatantly obvious. Blue Buffalo, on the other hand…. they will lie through their teeth, they will lay blame on anyone else but themselves, and will continue to lie to people, in order to make a buck.
I talked to a woman one time, she worked as a tech in a vet’s office… she told me that they had been keeping tabs on clients, watching what the pet’s were eating and their overall health, and found that dogs and cats that were on Blue Buffalo were showing on a consistent basis of having more alkaline urine than dogs and cats not on Blue Buffalo. This meant more cats and dogs were developing Struvite crystals in their urine, causing more health issues and possibly life threatening issues. This is simply one small vet’s office and their findings… But it begs the question, what else is going wrong with our pets, that we don’t see on a daily basis? Purina’s issues are obvious – dogs start getting deathly ill, and even dying… that will certainly arouse suspicions. But more alkaline urine, pets developing crystals and stones in their urine, which can be treated easily (if caught early enough)… The latter of the two may never be linked to the food, because it takes a lot more than one small vet’s office to have conclusive information.
I’m done with my rant now. Haha. But, all in all, they’re both bad, and I’ll continue to warn people of the dangers of each and guide them towards better food and better options for their pets. 🙂 Because if the roles were reversed, I’d want someone to do the same for me (which they did…and that’s why I’m here today. Lol.)
Penny
May 10, 2015 at 8:45 am
Susan, if Blue Buffalo foods contain by-product meal, is it even a natural product anymore? Could this hurt my fur babies, I was feeding them Wilderness?
Lynn
May 11, 2015 at 10:59 am
its all kibble, you can find some good raw if you care to look. not that difficult or expensive. chicken necks are $0.85 per lb and green tripe $2 perlb hey guess what you’re on the computer right now!
Susan
May 14, 2015 at 6:15 pm
I have fed my cat BB Indoor for years. She is super healthy, her coat is so shiny it always looks wet and she is a happy baby. This stone throwing between the companies is not enough for me to change.
Pam Andrews
May 23, 2015 at 10:14 am
Susan
I’m glad your pets are healthy. But, if Blue doesn’t know what is in their food or where it comes from, how do you know there aren’t ingredients in there from China? Think about it. It’s not just stone throwing amongst multimillionaires. This scares me.