Mars Petcare Pet Foods Not as ‘Natural’ as Advertised, Class Action Lawsuit Claims

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A proposed class action lawsuit accuses Mars Petcare US, Inc.—the company behind brands such as Pedigree, Whiskas, Royal Canin and Nutro—of falsely marketing its pet food as natural given the products contain numerous synthetic ingredients.

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The 13-page lawsuit against Mars Petcare was filed by a New York consumer who says she bought the turkey variety of Nutro’s “natural” wet cat food in October 2023. The plaintiff alleges that the manufacturer has misrepresented this and other pet food products by explicitly labeling them as “natural” even though they are made with several synthetic ingredients, including xanthan gum, thiamine mononitrate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate and more.

“[Mars Petcare’s] labeling and advertising puts forth a straightforward, material message: the products contain only ingredients that are natural,” the complaint relays. “Reasonable consumers would understand [the defendant’s] labeling to mean that the products contain only natural ingredients, and not any synthetic substances.”

The class action suit claims the company has misrepresented its products in a bid to capitalize on increasing consumer demand for natural pet foods that are free from artificial additives. The manufacturer has profited at the expense of health-conscious shoppers who are willing to pay premium prices for items they believe are healthier for their pets, the case contends.

Had the plaintiff known the cat food she bought was falsely advertised as “natural,” she would not have paid as much for the product or purchased it at all, the filing alleges.

The lawsuit looks to represent anyone in the United States who purchased any Mars Petcare product marketed as “natural” but contains synthetic ingredients at any time during the applicable statute of limitations period for household consumption and not for resale.

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