Why cheap dog and cat food can be expensive in the long run

Nowadays, there are an enormous number of different brands of dog and cat food available. From inexpensive kibble to somewhat more expensive options, there is something suitable for every budget. But what exactly accounts for the price difference, what should good-quality food contain, and of course the most important question: is inexpensive food actually cheaper? We are happy to tell you more about this in the blog below.

Supermarket versus specialist pet store

Dog and cat food from the supermarket is often cheaper than the food available from (online) specialist pet stores. The reason becomes clear when you compare the ingredient lists of supermarket food with those of dog and cat food sold by specialist pet stores. Supermarket kibble often consists largely of animal (by-)products and grains or another carbohydrate source. It is not clearly stated what these animal by-products actually are, so you never know exactly what you are feeding your dog or cat. Animal by-products often consist of leftover waste from animals slaughtered for human consumption. This could therefore also include ground bones, feathers and carcasses. Grain products added to food as a carbohydrate source (such as wheat, rice, oats and corn) are often used as inexpensive fillers. In addition to being cheap fillers, grain products are also unhealthy for your pet in large quantities. Over the long term, dogs and cats are at greater risk of various health problems (such as skin and coat problems, poor stools or digestive problems) when they are fed poor-quality food. When health problems arise and you are forced to take your four-legged friend to the vet, less expensive food is ultimately no longer so cheap.

More expensive food often contains a higher percentage of high-quality meat. Attention is paid to the ingredients and raw materials, which are more costly than inexpensive fillers. In addition, producing high-quality food requires more money, time and expertise. A balanced meal rich in quality meat is therefore often somewhat more expensive, but also healthier for your four-legged friend.

Fillers

In the paragraph above, we briefly mentioned that less expensive dog and cat food often contains a high percentage of grain products and that these are unhealthy in large quantities for your four-legged friend. Dogs and cats are not able to digest large quantities of grain products. This means they will produce more stools, because the body cannot absorb and digest all the nutrients from the grains. In addition, grain products have a lower nutritional value than, for example, meat, meaning pets have to eat more of this food to obtain all the necessary nutrients. Dog and cat food largely bulked out with grain products may seem cheaper to purchase, but because pets have to eat more of it and because this food is less healthy for your pet, it is not actually as inexpensive as it appears and costs more than people think in the long run. There is nothing wrong with kibble containing a small percentage of grain products as a supplement to the food, because grains also contain a lot of fibre, for example, and thereby promote optimal intestinal function. However, make sure that grain products are not one of the main ingredients in the food.

Fortunately, grain-free foods are also available for dogs and cats that are intolerant to grains and/or gluten. These foods use a carbohydrate source other than a grain product. Examples include sweet potatoes, lentils, peas and broad beans. The same applies here: this carbohydrate source should not be the main ingredient in the food.

Both the dog and cat foods from Riverwood contain around 50–55% meat from three unique protein sources; meat is therefore the first ingredient in the composition, and the food has high digestibility partly due to its meat content. In addition, Riverwood contains no grains or potatoes. Instead, we have chosen yellow peas because of their low glycemic index. These carbohydrates are broken down slowly, which is better for healthy and stable blood sugar levels. In addition to the high percentage of meat as the main ingredient and yellow peas as the carbohydrate source, Riverwood is completed with a selection of fresh fruit, vegetables and a rich blend of powerful herbs. When you compare the feeding table for Riverwood with that of any brand available in the supermarket, you will see that your dog or cat needs much less Riverwood each day than supermarket foods. In addition to the food’s high digestibility, you can see exactly what you are feeding your dog or cat from the composition, so you can be sure that your four-legged friend is served only the very best.

As a supplement to the points above, we have calculated the feeding costs for the Riverwood Adult Scottish Salmon 12 kg variant compared with a B-brand. For this calculation, we assume an adult dog weighing 25 kilograms with an average activity level.

1Riverwood: 12,000/250 | B-brand: 14,000/325

2Riverwood: 365/48 | B-brand: 365/43

3Riverwood: 8x€71.95 | B-brand: 9x€47.95


The annual difference between Riverwood and any B-brand is therefore €144.05. This amounts to (€144.05/ 365) €0.39 per day. We can conclude from this that for just €0.39 more per day, you can serve your dog an ultra-premium food.

Curious about all our foods? View our range of dog food and cat food here.