5 WAYS THE NASC QUALITY SEAL PROTECTS STORE OWNERS & CONSUMERS

You may think you know all about the National Animal Supplement Council’s Quality Seal. But that seal means so much more for you and your customers. Here’s why.

A little more than two decades ago, the animal supplements industry was like a boat without a rudder: It was moving fast but without much-needed direction. Consumers wanted a more natural way to care for their pets and store owners were happy to make health and nutritional supplements available. And, despite some regulatory oversight from the Food and Drug Administration, Center for Veterinary Medicine (FDA – CVM) and recommendations from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), there was no real way to tell if the companies manufacturing the products adhered to any set of best practices.

In 2001, 18 companies came together to establish a comprehensive, responsible path forward for the animal supplements industry and the rest, as the saying goes, is history. At the helm of the National Animal Supplement Council for the last 20 years has been Bill Bookout. As president of the NASC since its early days, he’s eager to point out that the mission of the NASC is two-fold: First, to promote the health and wellbeing of companion animals that are given animal health supplements by their owners and second, to protect and enhance the integrity of the animal health products industry. Today, 137 companies have earned the NASC Quality Seal for their products — and as the number of member companies and products grow, consumers have become more aware of the value and confidence the seal provides.

As independent pet products retailers, here are just a few of the reasons why the National Animal Supplement Council and the NASC Quality Seal means so much. And why you should share this information with your customers.

1. INDUSTRY-WIDE INVOLVEMENT

It’s taken a movement for NASC to get where it is today and that would have been impossible without the involvements of NASC partners from all levels of the pet products industry. Membership is open to supplements providers as well as the companies that make raw materials. To cover every area of the industry, the NASC board of directors consists of individuals with a broad range of experience in supplements manufacturing, nutrition, compliance, regulatory affairs, research and development. NASC also actively advocates on behalf of the pet supplements industry, keeping a watchful eye on national and state-level legislation that could impact product sales at retail.

2. STRICT AUDITING PRACTICES

Auditing is at the heart of the NASC certification process. When a supplements or ingredients company applies for NASC membership, management agrees to a comprehensive auditing process that is done every two years. They must also agree to maintain ongoing compliance with rigorous NASC quality standards and must pass random independent product testing to ensure their products meet label claims. The efforts are extensive, but the results mean that those companies whose products earn the NASC Quality Seal are dedicated to the health of our furry friends and the quality of the supplements they are given.

3. ONGOING VIGILANCE & RESEARCH

Maintaining post market vigilance for products after they are in the market is critical to helping ensure that unforeseen negative events do not occur. The NASC Adverse Event Reporting System (NAERS®) is the most advanced system in the world, tracking over 6,000 products and 1,400 ingredients in real time. In addition, NASC is also funding a safety study for CBD in dogs to help ensure these products remain available for pet owners.

4. CONSUMER & RETAILER EDUCATION

Consumer and retailer education is high on the list of NASC priorities as more consumers become aware of the NASC Quality Seal — and store owners understand its value. For this reason, the organization has designed educational pamphlets for the consumer market that include information on supplements as an element of whole animal health. NASC also conducts numerous training programs for pet product retailers to understand claims boundaries, the NASC Audit Program and the benefits of carrying products that have earned the NASC seal.

5. 20+ YEARS’ RECOGNITION

The NASC Quality Seal is an honor for companies that have earned permission to use it on their packaging. But this simple seal belies the efforts taken to get there. For more than 20 years, the mission of the National Animal Supplement Council has always had the world’s beloved companion animals top of mind. Moving into the future, NASC will strive to reach out to both retailers and consumers to promote the value of the seal and the work it takes to receive it.