HOW NATURAL IS YOUR "NATURAL" PET PRODUCT?

The demand for more natural products and the subsequent marketing of pet products claiming to be “natural” or even “all natural” raises the issue as to the definition of the term.  News Flash: There is no definition of “natural” as applied to pet products, or human cosmetic products.  There are no requirements or regulations governing the use of the claim.  Individual companies simply interpret the term as they wish and apply it to their product or entire product line. 

In some cases, “natural” is applied when the product contains one or more plant-based ingredients, such as Aloe Vera gel, or an essential oil for fragrance, such as Lavender.  In other cases, a product is deemed “natural” when the working surfactants are derived from natural sources.  Under this definition, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate can be classified as natural, even though they go through a complex chemical transformation from the coconut to the shampoo. (See “Far From the Coconut: A Surfactant’s Journey”  on the Groomblog.)  A few companies are more rigorous in applying the term, and are using ingredients that are certified Organic.  These products usually display a logo on their labels that identifies the use of certified Organic ingredients. 

The average consumer sees the term “natural” on a label and simply takes the manufacturer’s word for it and thinks, “Oh, good, this is a safe product.”  Everybody wants “natural”, right?  Use of the term is guaranteed to drive sales.  A few skeptical types, like the author, might question, “How natural is it?”  In the case of human cosmetics or personal care products, the consumer or advocate can look at the ingredient list on the label and get a sense of the degree of naturalness of the entire product.  We can determine whether natural-based ingredients are many or few, and if they play an important part of the functioning of the product or are mere window dressing, It is much more difficult to assess claims for pet products.

Since pet product manufacturers are not required to disclose ingredient information, groomers are often without a means of assessing the degree to which a product marketed as natural lives up to that claim.  The cloak of trade secrecy and lack of regulation that steadfastly surrounds the pet care industry allows manufacturers to describe their products in the terms of their choice.  Unless the company volunteers complete ingredient information, there is no way to validate the “natural” claim. 

The current trend in pet product labeling is a move to what could be called “dodge ball” ingredient listings.  With this technique, the manufacturer dodges the issue of ingredient identification by using descriptive terms instead of standardized INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients) that are used on human products.  By listing ingredients in descriptive terms, as “plant derived cleaning agents”, or “coconut based shampoo base”, the ingredient list appears to support the “all natural” marketing claim for the product.  In INCI terms, however, this could be the same shampoo base of Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Cocamide DEA and Cocamidopropyl Betaine as used in many pet shampoos.  The problem with full INCI names for ingredients is that they look more complex and less natural than the wholesome-appearing descriptive terms. Comparing these standardized technical names, however, is the only way the end consumer has of evaluating the naturalness of a product.  By hiding ingredients or green washing with natural terminology, some pet product manufacturers are able to cash in on the demand for natural without actually changing their product formulas.  It’s the same old monkey in a different costume!  An example of integrity in natural marketing is the ShowSeason Naturals line, a selection of products formulated specifically for green grooming and those seeking truly natural products.  Each product has a full disclosure of ingredients on the product, utilizing the INCI names.  None of the products are claimed to be 100% natural, as the company recognizes that some synthetics have been utilized, especially in the selection of preservatives. 

Here is a recent interview from the global cosmetics ingredients showcase, In-Cosmetics, in Barcelona.  In this interview, Judi Beerling of Organic Monitor, discusses the natural claim in human personal care products and how it is a matter of interpretation. Click HERE to go there!