A California class action against major pet food brands over "forever chemicals" in packaging is nearing class certification. What DTC brands should learn before it reaches their shelf.
A federal lawsuit in the Northern District of California against The J.M. Smucker Co. and Post Consumer Brands — alleging that PFAS in pet food packaging contradicted "healthful" marketing claims — moved closer to class certification in late 2025, with the judge calling the plaintiffs' reliance theory plausible at this stage.
Whatever the final outcome, the signal for emerging brands is clear: packaging composition is becoming a consumer-trust and litigation issue, not just a compliance footnote. The defensive playbook is inexpensive: source from manufacturers who provide written PFAS-free and food-contact declarations, keep migration and composition test reports on file, and make sure any "safe" or "natural" claim on your pouch can be backed by documentation.
Transparency now costs a phone call; the alternative costs a lot more.
Editorial photographs in this news section are real photographs sourced from Wikimedia Commons and used under the licences stated below. Product mock-ups and factory photography are the property of KindPack Pouch.
