When choosing food for a dog or cat, it is tempting to focus on the first few words on the package. “Natural,” “premium,” “grain-free” and other claims can quickly catch a pet parent’s attention.
But there is more to understanding pet food than reading the front of the bag.
Pet food transparency means knowing not only what ingredients are used, but also how to evaluate the food’s nutritional adequacy, sourcing information, feeding guidance and other claims.
That distinction matters as pet parents become more interested in the quality and story behind the food they buy.
ADM’s 2025 Global Pet Nutrition Insights Report points to continued interest in healthier, high-quality and sustainably sourced pet products, reflecting how closely pet care choices increasingly mirror the way people think about their own food.
For pet parents, however, the goal should not be to choose the package with the longest list of appealing claims. It should be to understand what those claims actually tell you about the food.
What should you look for on a pet food label?
An ingredient list is a useful starting point, but it does not tell the entire nutritional story.
According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), ingredients on pet food labels are generally listed in descending order by weight. That means the first ingredient weighs more than the ingredients listed after it. However, the ingredient list does not tell you the exact percentage of each ingredient.
There is another part of the package that deserves equal attention: the nutritional adequacy statement.
AAFCO explains that a food described as “complete and balanced” is intended to provide the required nutrients in appropriate proportions for the specified life stage. Life stages can include growth, adult maintenance, reproduction or all life stages.
In other words, a recognizable ingredient name alone does not determine whether a food is nutritionally appropriate.
A simple pet food label checklist
When comparing products, pet parents can look at:
Intended animal and life stage
Check whether the food is formulated for your pet's species and stage of life.
Nutritional adequacy statement
Look for information indicating whether the food is complete and balanced or intended only for intermittent or supplemental feeding.
Ingredient list
Ingredients are listed by weight, from highest to lowest.
Guaranteed analysis
Review the listed nutrient guarantees rather than relying only on front-of-pack claims.
Feeding directions
These provide a starting point for determining how much food to give your pet.
Specific claims
Consider what claims such as “natural,” “grain-free” or “premium” actually mean and whether they are relevant to your pet's needs.
For pets with allergies, medical conditions or specific nutritional requirements, a veterinarian can help determine which formulation is appropriate.
Why does ingredient sourcing matter?
For some pet parents, transparency extends beyond the ingredient name.
They want to know where an ingredient comes from, how it was produced and what standards were applied before it became part of the finished product.
That is where traceability becomes useful.
Traceability refers to the ability to track an ingredient through parts of the supply chain. In practical terms, it can give consumers more information about the origin of ingredients rather than leaving them with only a name printed on a package.
Open Farm has built this type of information into its approach to pet food.
The brand, whose products are available through Bow & Wow in the Philippines, emphasizes ingredient sourcing, animal welfare and sustainability alongside nutrition. Its recipes include animal proteins and plant ingredients, while its sourcing standards cover areas such as pasture-raised lamb, crate-free pork, pasture-raised beef and wild-caught fish, according to the supplied brand information.
Open Farm also offers a transparency platform where customers can enter the lot code found on the packaging to access sourcing information associated with a particular batch.
That gives pet parents something more concrete to investigate than a general statement printed on the front of a bag.
Does a longer ingredient list mean better pet food?
Not necessarily.
A common mistake is to judge pet food solely by whether the ingredients sound familiar or appealing.
Pet food is formulated to deliver nutrients, and some ingredients that sound unfamiliar may provide vitamins, minerals or other necessary nutrients. AAFCO notes that ingredients serve different nutritional functions, and that a complete and balanced formulation accounts for the varying nutrient contributions of individual ingredients.
The same caution applies to judging a food based solely on its first ingredient.
The first ingredient is important because ingredients are listed by weight, but it does not by itself tell you whether the overall food is nutritionally complete.
The better question is not “Does this ingredient list look good?” but “Does this food meet my pet’s nutritional needs?”
Why “complete and balanced” deserves attention
The phrase “complete and balanced” has a specific nutritional meaning in pet food labeling.
AAFCO explains that “complete” means the food contains all required nutrients, while “balanced” means those nutrients are present in the correct ratios. Nutritional needs also differ according to life stage.
That is why a food formulated for a growing puppy or kitten should not automatically be assumed to be appropriate for an adult pet.
The FDA likewise advises consumers to look for the nutritional adequacy statement when determining whether a pet food is intended to meet a pet's nutritional needs as a sole diet.
This is one of the most useful pieces of information on a pet food package, yet it can be easy to overlook when marketing claims dominate the front label.
What does “transparency” look like in practice?
For pet parents, meaningful transparency can involve several layers.
Ingredient transparency means clearly identifying what goes into the food.
Sourcing transparency provides information about where ingredients originate.
Production transparency can offer insight into how ingredients are handled and turned into the finished product.
Nutritional transparency helps consumers understand what the food is formulated to provide.
And claim transparency means giving consumers enough information to understand what statements on the packaging actually mean.
This broader approach is becoming more relevant as pet parents spend more time researching what they feed their companions.
ADM's 2025 pet nutrition research notes continued consumer interest in healthier, wholesome and sustainably sourced pet products, although preferences vary across markets and demographic groups.
Where does Open Farm fit into the conversation?
Open Farm was founded by Jacqueline Prehogan and Isaac Langleben after their experience rescuing pugs led them to look for pet food that aligned with their expectations around nutrition, animal welfare and sustainability.
The brand has since made those principles part of its product positioning.
Bow & Wow's Pet Care Advisors can help pet parents consider factors such as formulation, ingredients and individual pet needs rather than simply selecting a product based on price or packaging claims.
That distinction is important because there is no single pet food that is automatically right for every dog or cat.
Age, size, activity level, health status and individual sensitivities can all affect what a pet needs.
Should pet parents choose food based on sustainability?
Sustainability can be a meaningful consideration, particularly for consumers who want their purchasing decisions to reflect their values.
However, it should be considered alongside nutrition rather than treated as a substitute for it.
Responsible sourcing, animal welfare and environmental practices tell part of the story behind a product. Nutritional adequacy tells another.
For pet parents, the most useful approach is to consider both.
A food can have an appealing sustainability story, but it still needs to be appropriate for the animal consuming it.
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