Packaging and labels
Product packaging design for pet brands
Pet products are bought by owners for animals who cannot read the pack, so the design speaks to the owner's concerns: is this right for my dog's age or my cat's diet, how much do I feed, and will the bag keep the food fresh? Pet food carries a statutory minimum of labelling information in the UK, and a range often splits by animal, life stage, size and flavour, which can make packs hard to tell apart. Treats, toys and accessories each have their own practical needs, from resealable pouches to packs that show a toy's size and toughness.
This page covers pet food labelling, feeding guidance, ranges, formats and accessories. The brand confirms pet food label content with its adviser or trading standards. LetGetGrow designs packaging and labels and can include printing and box or pouch manufacture through suitable production partners, with specifications, quantities, production arrangements, delivery locations, costs and timelines agreed in the quotation.
Illustrative diagram
Pet packaging
- Range coding
- Animal and life stage
- Size and flavour
- Information
- Statutory panel
- Feeding guide
- Format
- Bags, pouches, trays
- Resealing
- Appeal
- Recognisable imagery
- Supportable claims
Pet food labelling
GOV.UK guidance on pet food explains that there is a statutory minimum of labelling information for pet food, that manufacturers may declare ingredients by category, and that they can add information beyond the statutory minimum. The guidance page itself does not list every required item, so ask your adviser or local trading standards for the full requirements for your product, and reserve a fixed panel for that information across the range.
Coding a pet range
| Variable | How it is often shown |
|---|---|
| Animal | Large icon or image on the front |
| Life stage | Puppy, adult, senior: a band or label |
| Size or breed type | Small, medium, large: an icon |
| Flavour or protein | Colour accent and word |
Feeding guidance owners can follow
Feeding tables printed small can be hard to use. Lay them out clearly, by the animal's weight, with units shown, and keep them in the same place on every pack. Confirm the figures with the formulator. If the guide is in grams, consider whether a scoop or cup reference helps owners measure.
Formats
Large bags
Suits you when
- Dry food
Watch out for
- Resealing
- Readability when the bag is standing in a cupboard
Pouches and trays
Suits you when
- Wet food, single servings
Watch out for
- Small surfaces for information
- Multipack outer
Treat pouches
Suits you when
- Rewards and chews
Watch out for
- Resealable zip
- Feeding limits clearly shown
Appealing to owners
Owners respond to animals they recognise, so imagery of the right breed size or life stage helps them find the right product. Keep claims on the front to ones the brand can support, and put the reason to believe on the back.
Toys and accessories
Pet toys, leads and beds are bought by size and durability. Show the product clearly, give its size against a reference, and avoid promises such as 'indestructible' unless they can be supported. Some toy packs include supervision advice. Check with an adviser whether any specific marking or warning applies to your product.
Example: a dry dog food range
Illustrative example — not a client case study
Situation: A brand sells dry food for puppies, adults and seniors in two bag sizes.
- Each life stage gets a coloured band, with the same layout across all bags.
- The statutory panel and feeding table sit on the back in the same position on every bag, confirmed by the brand's adviser.
- Sample bags are filled and stood in a cupboard to check the front is readable from above.
What this shows: Owners could pick the right life stage quickly. This example is illustrative.
Freshness and materials
Ask your bag supplier about barrier materials, resealing and food-contact suitability for your pet food. Pet food can be heavy and greasy, which affects bag choice and print finish.
Online and subscription sales
Pet food may be bought online or on subscription. Make the life stage and size readable in a small product photo, and design outer shipping boxes for heavy bags.
Multipacks and variety boxes
Wet food may be sold in multipacks of mixed flavours. The outer pack needs to show which flavours are inside and how many of each, and each inner pouch or tray still carries its own information. Plan both levels together, so the outer carton and inner packs share the same coding by flavour and life stage, and an owner can tell what they are opening each day.
Treat packs
Treats are given in addition to main meals, so owners need clear guidance on how many to give. Put that guidance where it is easy to see when the pouch is opened, not only in small print on the back.
Questions about product packaging design for pet brands
Is there a required pet food label?
Yes; GOV.UK says there is a statutory minimum. Confirm the details with your adviser.
Can ingredients be listed by category?
GOV.UK says manufacturers may declare them by category.
How do we code a range?
By animal, life stage, size and flavour, consistently.
How should feeding guides look?
Clear tables by weight, in the same place on every pack.
Can we call a toy indestructible?
Only if you can support it.
Who advises on bag materials?
Your bag supplier.
Sources referenced
Platform features, guidance and rules change. We check the current versions before committing to an approach. This page is general information, not legal advice.
- GOV.UK: Pet food (opens in a new tab) — reviewed 2026-10-31
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