The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) are seeking public comment “for Information on Targeting Serial Acquisitions, Roll-Up Strategies Across the US Economy”.
The announcement states these agencies: “finds information on serial acquisitions and roll-up strategies in which corporate actors, including private equity owned businesses, become larger—and potentially dominant—by acquiring several smaller firms in the same or related business sectors or industries.”
“Often, businesses do not have to report these deals to federal antitrust agencies, allowing companies to gain significant control over key products, services, or labor markets without government scrutiny. These types of transactions can harm competition to the detriment of consumers, workers, and change entire industries or business sectors.”
We (Association for Truth in Pet Food) submitted our comment focusing on only a few issues of concern. Click Here to read our full comment.
Briefly, we discussed the massive number of pet food businesses of Mars Petcare and Purina Petcare.
“Mars Petcare owns multiple pet care businesses in multiple areas of pet care. Mars currently owns:Veterinary & Diagnostic Services: Mars Veterinary Health, AniCura, Antech, Asia Veterinary Diagnostics , Banfield Pet Hospital, Blue Pearl, Heska Veterinary Diagnostics, Linnaeus, Mount Pleasant Veterinary Group, VCA Animal Hospitals, Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Hospital, Veterinary Specialty Hospital.”
“Pet Nutrition and Therapeutic Health Services: Acana, API, Aquarian, Buckeye Nutrition, Catsan, Cesar, Chappie. Crave, Dreamies, Eukanuba, Greenies, Iams, James Wellbeloved, Kitekat, Lovebug, Misfits, My Cat DNA, My Dog DNA, Natusan, NomNom, Nutro, Orijen, Peawee, Pedigree, Perfect Fit, Royal Canin, Sheba, Spillers, Temptations , Thomas, Whiskas, Winergy.”
“Innovation and Technology for Pets: Companion Fund, FluffyGo, Kinship, Leap Venture Studio, Pet Insight Project, Vet Insight, Waltham Petcare Science Institute, Whistle, Wisdom Panel.”
Source: https://www.mars.com/made-by-mars/petcare
“Purina Petcare owns a similarly large number of pet food brands; Alpo, Beggin, Beneful, Beyond, Busy Bone, Dentalife, Fancy Feast, Friskies, Kit & Kaboodle, Moist & Meaty, Purina Cat & Dog Chow, Purina One, Purina Pro Plan, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets, Whisker Lickin’s. Just one brand – Purina Pro Plan makes ‘over 175 pet food formulas.’ The Purina Pro Plan website provides 227 total Pro Plan pet foods.”
Source: https://www.purina.com/pro-plan/products
We also address in our comment pet food manufacturer donations to universities that are also charged with regulating pet food.
Pet owners are encouraged to submit their comments. Provide as much detail as possible in your comment to prove the company’s control and explain how it may have or has caused harm to the consumer.
Post your comment on Regulations.gov here: https://www.regulations.gov/document/FTC-2024-0028-0001
Wishing you and your pet(s) the best,
Susan Thixton
Pet Food Safety Advocate
Buyer Beware of Author, Co-Author Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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