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Artwork Management

Simplify Pet Food Labeling: Strategies for Navigating Global Regulations

Alexandra Blanck

Written by Alexandra Blanck

Content Manager, Esko

Pets are not just companions, they’re family.

Beyond that, they’re often treated like royalty. They dine on gourmet meals, celebrate birthdays with custom cakes, and enjoy subscription toy boxes delivered to their doorstep.

This deepening bond between humans and their pets is fueling the global pet food market, which is expected to grow from $132.92 billion in 2025 to $193.65 billion by 2032 (Fortune Business Insights).

But this boom also brings an avalanche of complexity, especially when it comes to labeling regulations.

From state-by-state policies in the U.S. to European mandates on organic claims, pet food manufacturers are under significant pressure to keep up.

Every market, every product line, every change in ingredients is likely to trigger a new round of packaging updates. Compliance missteps can lead to costly reprints, market delays, or even product recalls.

To say the stakes are high would be an understatement.

In this post, we’ll explore how regulatory complexity is impacting the pet food industry and how brands will meet the challenge using the right digital tools.

The Regulatory Landscape is Evolving Fast

Pet food labeling isn’t just about listing ingredients. It’s an ever-fluctuating process resulting from legislative intervention and consumer scrutiny.

Here’s what brands are navigating:

  • In the U.S., the AAFCO has updated its guidelines to demand clearer naming conventions and stricter guaranteed analysis disclosures.
  • The proposed FDA PURR Act (Pet Food Uniform Regulatory Reform) aims to replace the current patchwork of state laws with a unified federal framework for pet food labeling and ingredients, streamlining and intensifying the FDA’s oversight, according to Congressman Steve Womack.
  • In the EU, Regulation No. 767/2009 mandates front-of-pack labeling standards, while new organic labeling rules (as of May 1, 2024) require any pre-packed organic pet food with 95% organic ingredients to display the EU organic logo.
  • Industry guidance like FEDIAF’s 2024 nutritional updates are also raising the ingredients bar, particularly around protein and phosphorus balances.

Clearly, pet food brands have a lot on their plates (or in their food bowls).

Why Legacy Workflows Are Holding Brands Back

Managing labels across regions and product lines can quickly spiral into chaos if your processes aren’t built for scale.

Manual workflows and siloed departments create:

  • Slower speed to market due to repeated approval loops and last-minute rework.
  • Increased risk of noncompliance, especially when regulations update mid-cycle.
  • Costly errors when translations, nutritional claims, or ingredient declarations fall through the cracks.

When your artwork, compliance, and supply chain teams aren’t aligned, the margin for error grows, and so do the risks and potential costs.

Case Study Spotlight: MPM’s Labeling Evolution

Premium pet food maker Making Pet Food Matters (MPM), known for brands like Applaws and Encore Pet Food, faced these exact challenges across their global SKU portfolio.

With regulatory requirements changing and time-to-market pressure intensifying, MPM turned to Esko.

By implementing Esko WebCenter, MPM streamlined their artwork approvals, enabling real-time collaboration across departments. The result:

  • Significantly accelerated speed to market.
  • Over 85% savings in external CGI costs by bringing rendering in-house with Esko Studio.
  • Tighter compliance control, ensuring consistency across regions and packaging formats.
In blog banner for blog titled, "Simplify Pet Food Labeling: Strategies for Navigating Global Regulations"

Pet Food Packaging in the E-Commerce Era

Like everything else, the e-commerce era has added multiple layers of complexity to pet food packaging and will continue to do so.

For instance, according to Grand View Research, the global pet care e-commerce market is set to reach $147.59 billion by 2030.

Subscription services like Chewy and Amazon Subscribe & Save are dominating this shift, offering convenience and reinforcing customer loyalty. This has and will continue to reshape packaging priorities.

For example:

  • Packaging labels must remain compliant while adopting new formats such as pouches, trays, and brick packs.
  • Flat-pack formats must be amenable to durable designs to survive the rigors of shipping.
  • Visual clarity and eye-catching designs are critical for attracting digital-first consumers.

Luckily, the right digital tools make keeping up with these demands viable.

Sustainability and Compliance Go Hand in Hand

Consumer expectations and demands for sustainability aren’t going to let up any time soon.

According to Statista, about 70% of U.S. online shoppers prefer brands that use eco-friendly packaging. Furthermore, more than 36% of those surveyed considered sustainable packaging extremely important in their shopping experience.

But what’s often overlooked is the regulatory burden that “green” claims generate.

Labels must now comply with:

  • Certifications and disclosures on recyclable or compostable materials
  • Ingredient sourcing transparency, especially for “organic” or “human-grade” assertions
  • Packaging design compliance to reflect material reuse commitments, like Nestlé Purina’s commitment to full recyclability by 2025 and Mars’ goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

Compliance is more than just a legal box to check off. It’s part of your brand promise and ethos.

Ready to Take the Chaos Out of Compliance?

Pet food manufacturers will continue to face mounting pressure to comply with regulations and cater to eco-conscious consumers.

The bad news? This is a time consuming and potentially fraught with peril process.

The good news? You don’t have to do it alone. Esko helps you stay ahead of the pack. Learn how to streamline compliance, reduce costs, and bring products to market faster—while building consumer trust and brand loyalty.

Let’s talk about how we can help you get (and stay) compliant.

Book a discovery call or watch a product tour today! 🐾

About the Author

Alexandra Blanck, a member of the Esko Corporate Marketing team, is known for her dedication to crafting engaging content that resonates with global audiences. As a Content Manager, she brings a strong editorial perspective and strategic insight to Esko’s communications, with a passion for turning complex topics into compelling narratives. Beyond her work at Esko, Alexandra is known for her creativity and storytelling expertise with a diverse writing portfolio that spans lifestyle features, fiction, and poetry.

Alexandra Blanck

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