The global pet product market has exploded in recent years, with new markets emerging. Markets in Brazil, India, and Chi...
The global pet product market has exploded in recent years, with new markets emerging. Markets in Brazil, India, and China are becoming larger and larger. The growth puts retailers at a challenge. They face greater responsibility and vulnerability to legal, reputational, and financial fallout from unsafe products. With that in mind, paying close attention to pet product safety standards is crucial for success.
A single safety incident can crush any confidence customers have in a brand or a retailer. Slow and mismanaged recalls damage the loyalty of the brand. Additionally, retailers may share liability in product lawsuits or regulatory violations by selling unsafe goods.
Nowadays, customers have higher expectations. Pet parents demand transparency and responsible sourcing. Safety is paramount in the crowded online market. While e-commerce continues to grow, pet parents are always trying to find the safest, and most reputable online brand.
What are The Standards Retailers and Companies Need to Know?
There are different regulatory bodies and standards to follow depending on the location of the company.
For example, in the United States, the CPSC regulates consumer safety, including toys with batteries, grooming items, figurines, apparel, and more. The FDA oversees pet food and treats.
Many countries reference ISO standards for materials, labelling, and testing. Export markets like Canada, China, Mexico, India, and Brazil, have unique import rules. Retailers should look for safety certifications and testing including:
· Third-party lab testing, an independent verification of chemical, material, and mechanical safety.
· Chemical testing for BPA, lead, phthalates in toys and accessories
· Durability and choking tests, including the ASTM F963 standard, a widely used standard for toys.
For retailers, understanding specific import rules for any country they are sourcing from is paramount. Failure to comply can result in delayed or returned shipments, and even higher financial losses.
The importance of pet product safety standards extends to supplier selection process. Finding the right partner is crucial. With the wrong partner, you directly impact your business and your customers. Retailers serve as the gatekeepers, recognizing quality and connecting manufacturers and customers. Here are some potential red flags to pay attention to:
· Missing or unwillingness to share certification and lab reports. Reputable suppliers will be proud to showcase their commitment to safety through their reports, safety certifications, and compliance documentation. When a supplier cannot provide documents upon request, the lack of transparency should be enough to stay away from the relationship.
· Vague or incomplete labels. Per regulations, product labels are legally mandated to provide information. Any lack of clarity is a warning sign. Labels should have a clear material list, ingredients, country of origin, and be properly translated with no grammatical errors.
· Unwillingness to support compliance audits or provide safety paperwork. If a supplier balks at the idea of an independent audit of their facility, or becomes evasive when asked for specific paperwork, they probably have something to hide.
We talked how retailers play a critical role in the pet industry, serving as the middle man between manufacturers are happy customers. As such, it is their job to ensure compliance.
The first step toward ensuring compliance is a supplier vetting process by using a formal compliance questionnaire. The questionnaire should cover certifications, lab work, labels, past recalls, and everything in between. This is the first filter toward choosing a reputable manufacturer.
The second step is compliance checklist, including regulatory coverage, traceability, and third-party test reports.
The third step can make or break a relationship. We spoke how unwillingness to third-party inspections is a major warning sign. But if you working with an importing company, quality audits and random lab tests are a must.
Last, but not least, assign a compliance officer and subscribe to regulatory channels. Review all suppliers quarterly.
Even if you choose the best and safest partner that will deliver top-notch pet product safety standards, recalls might happen. Addressing “what if” scenarios helps retailers prepare for potentially damaging situations. How retailers respond in critical moments can impact consumers’ trust, brand reputation, and even legal liability. The best way is to have a predefined crisis management plan.
Product recall is a serious event that needs a swift, and decisive action. Retailers should be ready to pull product immediately and then proactively notify customers with clear instructions. Transparency and speed are the two things that will help you preserve trust and reputation among customers and partners. You can run an email campaign, put website banners, a dedicated page, or use social media to reach wider audience. The next step is to liaise quickly and effectively with manufacturer and relevant authorities.
In public communication, empathy and clear messaging are the two pillars. The way you communicate during a product safety incident shapes the perception of your brand. Avoid jargon and state clearly what the product was, why it is recalled, and what the next steps for customers are. Be empathetic, acknowledge the concern of pet parents and show that you understand the bond between owners and pets. Most importantly, be action-oriented, focusing on the steps both you and the customers will take.
In the past few years, we have seen how the demographics and trends have shaped the pet industry. The new generation of pet owners consider their pets as part of the family. Some of the emerging trends are green materials, clean-label consumables, smart pet tech with new testing framework, and more.
In the new age of the pet industry, brands labeled certified toxin-free will lead the way. But they have to ensure they have the highest safety standards for their products.
Pet product safety is no longer optional, it is a business imperative. Retailers should audit their supply chain and prepare for recall scenarios. Being proactive in pet safety will be your company’s strongest asset. With a market that should exceed $150 million in 2025, retailers who enforce rigorous standards, and find a manufacturing partner that can help them, will build trust and stand apart from competitors.
