Last month, Petco began removing dog and cat foods and treats with artificial ingredients, both from store shelves and e-commerce, with a commitment to complete the process by May. It will no longer sell food containing artificial colors, flavors and preservatives for dogs and cats. The move makes Petco the only major retailer of pet food and treats to take a stand against such ingredients, reaffirming the company’s commitment to being the lifelong, trusted partner for pets and pet parents, alike.

“Since our first store opened in 1965, Petco has been dedicated to ensuring the well-being of pets. That commitment continues today, with our decision to not carry food and treats for dogs and cats containing artificial flavors, colors and preservatives,” says Petco CEO, Ron Coughlin. “Some may question whether this makes good business sense but putting pets’ health first has always been the right thing to do for Petco. This is both a major step forward for pets and a natural next step on our journey to become a complete partner in total pet wellness. We hope the rest of the pet industry will join us on this path to better health for the pets we love.”

The change also reflects one of the top concerns pet parents have today: nutrition. It’s no coincidence that pet food trends follow closely behind human food trends. Ninety-five percent of pet parents believe their pet’s diet and nutrition is essential to their pet’s overall health and wellness, yet more than half say finding healthy products for their pet(s) is confusing and often difficult.

While Petco’s transformation will affect certain brands, and ideally motivate other companies to change ingredients, the company already carries a full range of high-quality, specially formulated foods that already meet and even exceed its new standards. In addition, Petco currently offers a variety of products, services and advice to help pet parents care for the complete health of their pets at every stage of life.

Pet parents looking for guidance on what to feed their pets can find information available in-store by consulting with Petco’s knowledgeable employees, including Petco-certified pet food specialists, and online at Petco.com/BetterNutrition.