Gheda puts QR-based sourcing proof at the center of pet food

Italian pet food manufacturer Gheda is using Interzoo 2026 to launch UNICA GHEDA™, a premium brand platform built around QR code-linked ingredient traceability. According to GlobalPETS, the system lets consumers verify the sourcing origins of the main ingredients in each recipe, moving transparency from a packaging claim to a digital proof point. The launch builds on Gheda’s long-running positioning around Italian production, supply-chain traceability, non-GMO ingredients, and local or near-local suppliers, with the new platform aimed especially at small dog nutrition. (globalpetindustry.com)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the announcement reflects a broader shift in pet food communication: pet parents increasingly want to know not just nutrient claims, but where ingredients come from and how those claims can be verified. In Europe, pet food labeling already sits within a structured regulatory and self-regulatory framework, including FEDIAF’s Code of Good Labelling Practice, which explicitly addresses traceability tools and consistent consumer information. That means platforms like this may become more relevant in consult rooms, especially when clients ask vets to help interpret sourcing, quality, and marketing claims alongside nutritional adequacy. (europeanpetfood.org)

What to watch: The next question is whether Gheda expands the QR system beyond flagship products and whether competitors respond with similarly verifiable sourcing tools rather than broader transparency language alone. (globalpetindustry.com)