New labelling rules for organic pet food in Europe

(LUXEMBOURG) - The EU Council gave its final green light Monday to a new EU law aligning rules on labelling organic pet food to those governing organic food intended for human consumption.

The new regulation will make it easier for pet owners to purchase organic food for their pets. It also provides an opportunity for farmers engaged in organic production.

Under the new regulation, pet food can be labelled with the EU organic production logo if 95% of its agricultural ingredients are organic. This is in line with the rules for organic food intended for human consumption and reflects the EU's high standards for organic products.

The regulation also makes it easier for consumers to identify organic ingredients in the pet food they buy, and makes the EU organic production logo mandatory for prepacked organic pet food.

Since 1 January 2022, the date of application of the EU regulation on organic production, pet food can only be labelled as organic if all its agricultural ingredients are organic. The new regulation amends this to 95% (in terms of weight). This will make it more feasible for pet food producers to satisfy organic labelling requirements and to enter the market. This is in line with the Farm to Fork Strategy goal of boosting organic production so it can reach 25% of the EU's agricultural land use by 2030.

To ensure stability for producers, organic pet food that was labelled in accordance with national rules or in line with private standards between 1 January 2022 and the date of entry into force of the regulation can still be sold until stocks are exhausted.

In addition, pet food producers now have 6 months before they are required to place the EU organic logo on their products.

Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the labelling of organic pet food