Help find dog food using packaging as an aid? - so how is your dog food packed?

[Meg]

Searching for dog food, using packaging as a filtering aid, may be another useful way to help when choosing which food to buy, and with this in mind, it will be enormously helpful to know of the various ways your dogs foods are packaged.

Enabling filtering by "package type" as an option could be helpful for those who have a preference; perhaps due to available storage space or perhaps as a result of finding it 'difficult' to 'get to' the food, (for example opening cans may be difficult as may also tearing open a pouch or tray ) .

Whilst researching the various types of packaging it was apparent that dog food is packaged in a variety of ways, namely, in Bags, Blocks, Boxes, Cans, Cartons, Chubs, Packs, Pouches, Trays, Tubs and Tubes.

What was really surprising was the enormous variety in amounts of food within the same packaging. Data from the allaboutdogfood dog food directory shows that currently dog foods packaged in Bags have the following varying amounts: 57g, 75g, 100g, 142g, 350g, 450g, 454g, 900g, 1kg, 1.25kg, 1.5kg, 2kg, 2.3kg, 2.5kg, 3kg, 4kg, 4.5kg, 2kg, 5kg, 6kg, 7kg, 7.5kg, 8kg, 8.5kg, 10kg, 10.8kg, 11.4kg, 12kg, 12.5kg, 13kg, 13.5kg, 13.6kg, 14kg, 14.5kg, 15kg, 18.4kg, 20kg, 30kg.  Packaged In Blocks: 300g, 400g.  In Boxes: 700g, 1kg, 6kg, 9.5kg.  Cans: 170g, 200g, 363g, 370g, 374g, 385g, 395g, 400g, 412g, 600g, 635g, 800g, 820g.  Cartons: 85g, 375g, 480g. Chubbs: 500g, 600g, 800g, 850g, 1.4kg. Packs 375g, 400g, 450g, 454g, 1kg, 2kg, 4kg.  Pouches: 100g, 150g, 175g, 300g, 400g. Trays: 150g, 200g, 300g, 390g, 395g, 400g, 500g, 1kg.  Tubs: 500g, 1kg. Tubes: 800g.

So may we ask for your help with this poll - please look in your cupboards and larders and please vote to let us know how your dogs food is currently packaged?

You may vote 10 times and please say if there are any options missing. Many thanks in advance.

[Tinyplanets]

I wasn't sure what to put but nutriment describe their 500g packs as tubs so I went with that.

[Meg]

Thanks Tinyplanets, it's a revelation how manufacturers are currently packaging dog foods, we seem to have come a long way from a standard sized can!

I rather like the accuracy, yet I wonder when it happened that amounts of dog food became quite specific, for example a bag of 10.8kg (not 11kg, not 10.5kg)  or a pack of 454g, (not 455g, not 450g)  yet exactly 10.8kg and 454g! (I resolve to be extra carefully checking the amounts in any bought dogs foods from now on. )

[Dottie]

I admit to being a nerd about packaging and do not like it when the container cannot be recycled so I usually check for this information. The food that I use currently is in a paper bag. The other day I was reading that Forthglade has recently changed it's trays to a different colour in order to facilitate recycling of them by local authorities - link.

[Red_Akita]

Interesting survey, definitely recycling is something I keep in mind when buying food for my dog... fortunately, being she a big pooch, I usually go for the largest bag size available!
Meg, I think the odd sizes are due to what measurement system is used: 454 grams equal 1 pound, 10.88 kg is 24 lb and so on.

[Meg]

Thanks for the link Dottie,  though it feels a tad frustrating as to why a change of packaging from one colour to another colour means the package can now be recycled....  Nevertheless there must have been a 'legitimate' reason and it's heartening to hear that manufacturer's are try to help with environmental issues.

Thanks Red_Akita and if there should be a bargain of 2 of the largest bags at a reduced price (and you can lug them and store them) it's an even greater saving for bigger dogs    and yes good point, that's probably it as it sounds like manufacturers may at times be using equipment calibrated to the imperial system of weights. Yet it seems that there are also anomalies of weights used viz  13.6kg=29.9lb and 18.4kg=40.5lb, 370g=13oz, 363g just shy of 13oz, 374 just over 13oz,  170g just shy of 6oz, etc and why that is I do not know. I can only speculate why they'd package in amounts of 24lb.

Somebody is likely being kept rather busy making dog food packaging and isn't it fair to say they often look like similar sizes on the shelf though clearly having  (subtly) mixed weights inside.

[Meg]

Would anybody else like to help with this poll?  To ensure the results are given a more accurate outcome, by your votes. 

Any forum member may vote! And any non-forum member may register to join the forum and then vote. Easy!

[Meg]

I'm hoping that it may be appropriate to resurrect this thread to see if we are able to add more votes to this poll as the more responses received, the more accurate the results will surely reflect the current trends. 

And so please vote in the poll, as your input will be really appreciated   


In this day and age when recycling is currently encouraged, it's wise to help as much as we can individually, to reduce the amount of wasted packaging, not least by looking at the many and varied ways our dogs food is packaged!

Yet another reason to ask for help with this poll!!


Thank you so far to those who have already voted and for your helpful postings too!   

Here is a gentle nudge ........................................   
 
............................. by your voting in the poll you are helping these results to more accurately reflect the current packaging trends. 
And if you prefer you can vote in the poll without writing a post and that's appreciated too!

[Spanielowner]

Are you doing ethical packaging as an option as well? Seems like a huge job so thanks for making this site so darn useful  ;

[Dottie]

David has probably had this in mind but it would be a very time consuming project. Also, AFAIK there are some variables about recycling depending on the local authority. I would look for paper bags/cardboard cartons  or tins because these are commonly recycled.

[Spanielowner]

Yeah, my dog food is in bio plastic film that can go in the compost

[Tinyplanets]

I just found a few similar foods in terms of ratings and what I wanted to feed then chose the one with the recyclable packaging. It is frozen raw food comes in compostable cartons.

[Dottie]

I chose my dog food on ingredients, quality and preparation. I was delighted to see that it is packaged in cardboard cartons which are compostable and recyclable. The Puffin packaging is returnable and the company provide labels so there is no cost to the customer.