When global pet food giants were fined for not posting safety warning signs, when "free adoption" became a trap for bundled sales, and when low-priced food sold 100,000 orders per month on e-commerce platforms, the prosperity of the pet economy is the shadow of lack of supervision and lack of standards.
“Regulatory vacuum and market chaos”
On e-commerce platforms, a large number of bulk cat and dog food are sold at attractive low prices. 5 kg of pet food is only sold for about 30 yuan, which is only one-third of the price of ordinary brands. These products are poorly packaged and lack ingredient information, which clearly violates the provisions of the "Pet Feed Management Measures" that no unpacking and repackaging are allowed and no product label feed is allowed.
However, these stores have been able to operate safely for many years and even created a sales record of "100,000+".
Liu Guozhao, a lawyer at Liaoning Yingshen Law Firm, pointed out that behind this chaos is the reality of "lack of legal basis and lax law enforcement in the field of pet food". my country has not yet included pet food safety in legislation, and relying solely on the departmental regulations of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the supervision is far from enough.
“OEM model and safety crisis”
The OEM model in the pet food industry has become the mainstream production path. The OEM business of China Pet Foods accounts for nearly 60%, and the OEM business of Guaibao Pet accounts for more than 30%. OEM has become an important source of revenue for these listed companies.
The phenomenon of cost and selling price inversion is shocking. The production cost of compliant staple food is about 5,500-6,000 yuan/ton, but the price of 40 kilograms of products circulating on the market is significantly lower than the compliant production cost line. This abnormal price difference directly gave rise to the substitution of inferior raw materials, forming a dangerous production logic of "not eating to death".
“New national standard and industry purification”
Against the background of the deepening trust crisis in the industry, a milestone standard is about to be implemented. On October 1, 2024, "GB/T 43839-2024 "Technical Requirements for Safety of Companion Animal (Pet) Products"" will officially take effect. This is the first recommended national standard for pet products in my country. The new national standard fills the gap in comprehensive safety standards in the field of pet products.
Consumer response and the future of the industry
Faced with a complex market environment, consumers need to be vigilant. Regarding new business models such as "free adoption + monthly payment for pet food", Zhu Xiaojuan, associate professor at China University of Political Science and Law, emphasized that "the legislative level of pet food safety should be raised" and pet food safety should be regulated according to law.
Written by：Luna
2025.07.10
