Pedigree
Vital Protection Adult
Overall score42/100· Poor
Summary
Supermarket kibble. Corn as 1st ingredient, unidentified transformed animal proteins, added colorants. Best avoided.
Sub-scores
Composition analysed
Corn, transformed animal by-products, wheat, unspecified animal fats, beet pulp, colorants
- CCorncereal
- DProcessed animal proteinsprotein
- CWheatcereal
- DAnimal fats (unspecified)fat
- BBeet pulpfiber
- EColorants (E102, E110, E124, E129)problematic additive
Nutritional analysis
- Crude protein
- 21%
- Crude fat
- 10%
- Ash
- 7%
- Fibre
- 4%
- Moisture
- 9%
Strengths
Weaknesses
- First ingredient is a cereal, not a named meat
- Contains undesirable ingredients
- Limited composition transparency
Similar alternatives
Pedigree Vital Protection is the most sold dog food in France by volume, and one of the lowest-graded products in our database at D (42/100). Corn first, unidentified transformed animal by-products second, wheat third, unspecified animal fats fourth, colorants present. It is the textbook example of everything our 7-red-flag guide warns against. Pedigree relies on two things: price (around 2.20 EUR per kg, hard to beat) and TV advertising (Mars spends more on Pedigree ads than any other pet food brand globally). For owners on a very tight budget, Pedigree keeps a dog alive and is AAFCO compliant. But for anyone who can spend 3 to 4 EUR more per kg, significantly better options exist that will meaningfully improve their dog's coat, energy, digestion and long-term health outcomes.
Compared to the competition
Blue Buffalo Life Protection scores B (76/100) vs Pedigree's D (42/100) at only 2.5x the price. Chicken first, whole grains, no by-products, no colorants. The single best upgrade from Pedigree for budget-conscious owners.
Frequently asked questions
Is Pedigree really that bad?
It is not toxic and it meets minimum AAFCO nutritional requirements. But meeting the minimum is not the same as being good. A D grade means the product is nutritionally adequate for survival but significantly below what we consider healthy feeding. The corn-first, unidentified-protein formula is designed to be cheap, not to be optimal. Your dog will eat it and survive. But he could thrive on something better.
STORIES · BRAND
See the brand on video
User reviews
Loading reviews...