Pet Food Field Trip
submitted: 2008-04-08 06:43:30 |
by: SusanThixton
Total views: 14 |
Word Count: 672 |
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I took a pet food field trip to Walmart yesterday. It was a discouraging visit. I won't mention any pet foods by name - but the trip provided me with some valuable pet food sales tricks to share with you.
Here's an interesting sales trick - the exact wording has been changed to protect the identity of this particular pet food - blazoned across one dog food was Crunchy Beefy Nuggets. Did you spot the sales trick? Crunchy Beefy Nuggets is a trademarked name (little TM after the Nuggets) - it is the pet food name, it has nothing to do with the pet food or ingredients. It's just a name.
The most common sales technique I found was pet foods that are 'flavored'. The actual name of the pet food was 'Steak and Vegetable Flavor' or 'Chicken and Fish Flavor' - one even got very specific with the name mentioning Albacore Tuna and Yellow Fin Tuna FLAVOR. The trick there is the pet food is just FLAVORED with steak and vegetables or Albacore Tuna - that's not really what's in the pet food!!! Again - it's just the flavor. Most people do not get that - they see Albacore Tuna and Yellow Fin Tuna or they see Steak and Vegetable --- they don't see Flavor. Most pet owners just assume that since the front of the pet food bag - in big bold letters says Albacore Tuna on it - it's got Albacore Tuna inside the bag. If the food actually had Steak and Albacore Tuna in it - it wouldn't say 'Flavor' on the front - it would say 'with Steak and Albacore Tuna' and it would cost more than $.50 cents a can or $5.00 a bag (Albacore Tuna does cost more than Albacore Tuna Flavor).
One of the Walmart pet foods stated 'No Fillers' on the front of the bag. However in the ingredient list I found Ground Corn, Chicken by-products, Corn Gluten Meal to be the first three ingredients of the pet food. That reads like fillers to me!
Another mentions "New Shapes and Colors". Let's see, does this mean this pet food is using more Red Dye now or more Yellow Dye? Very discouraging.
One pet food stated it contained Protein and Phosphorus for Strong Muscles. Wikipedia provides us with the following definition of Phosphorus - "The most important commercial use of phosphorus-based chemicals is the production of fertilizers. Phosphorus compounds are also widely used in explosives, nerve agents, friction matches, fireworks, pesticides, toothpaste, and detergents. Among other uses these are used to improve the characteristics of processed meat and cheese." I don't think I'd brag about phosphorus.
I found many pet foods with pictures of steak and chicken and fish on the front of the bags or cans, but I didn't find many pet foods with steak or chicken or fish inside the bag or can. Unfortunately I did find many pet foods with BHA and BHT (chemical preservatives linked to cancer), Animal Fat (FDA determined to be the pet food ingredient most likely to contain euthanized animals including the euthanizing drug), and Dyes (only benefits the pet owner - has no nutritional benefit to the pet).
I left the Walmart pet food aisle feeling discouraged. During my 20 minute or so visit about five or six customers came into the pet food aisle and added a bag of pet food to their cart. I didn't stop them or offer any suggestions - which was very difficult for me knowing what they were taking home to their pet. I understand that every pet owner cannot afford to purchase a $25 or higher bag of pet food - but no pet owner should spend a dime on pet foods that contain by-products, meat and bone meals, and BHA/BHT (or other chemical preservatives). Please read the labels of your pet's food and treats - learn the truth about pet food.
About the Author
Before you purchase one more bag or can of pet food learn the Truth About Pet Food. Sign up for the free newsletter and subscribe to Petsumer Report. http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com
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