Our scoring methodology.
Every brand, product and retailer in our index is measured against the same transparent 100-point model. The same rules apply to everyone — there are no paid placements inside a score.
Reviewed by the PetReviews editorial team
Independent scoring · Updated June 2026 · Not veterinary advice
Six weighted checks. One score.
Six areas add up to a single score out of 100. Price and ingredient quality carry the most weight because they matter most to value.
What the score does — and doesn't — say.
What we do claim
- Real cost per kg and per day, not the shelf price.
- Ingredient quality read from the published list — named meat, fillers, additives.
- Transparency: country of manufacture, ownership and recall visibility.
- A consistent, comparable score using the same six checks every time.
What we don't claim
- We never call a product unsafe, harmful or dangerous.
- We don't run laboratory testing or chemical analysis.
- We don't give veterinary, medical or individual nutrition advice.
- We don't sell rankings — no placement inside a score can be bought.
The rating bands.
We translate each score into a plain-English band. Low scores always read as poor value or “compare carefully” — never as unsafe.
Independence, in writing.
Our rankings are based only on this published methodology. Some links may earn us a commission, but that never changes a score or a ranking. Sponsored placements, where they appear, are clearly labelled and sit outside the scoring model.
Where a brand is retailer-owned, exclusive or heavily house-promoted and that relationship is verifiable, we label it clearly. These brands can still score well, but their transparency score reflects the harder like-for-like comparison. The same fair, consistent logic applies to every major retailer, including Petbarn: we simply show price per kg and cost per day across stores so you can find the best value at any of them.
PetReviews is a value and comparison resource, not veterinary advice. v1 scores are based on publicly available product information and pricing — not laboratory testing. Prices are illustrative and change frequently. Always speak to your vet before changing your dog's diet.
Methodology, answered.
No. v1 scores are based on publicly available product information, retailer pricing and our published methodology — not laboratory analysis. We never claim a product is unsafe; low scores reflect poor value, lower ingredient quality or weaker transparency, not safety.
Prices and availability change frequently. Our v1 pricing is manually entered and illustrative — always confirm the live price with the retailer before buying. Live price tracking is on our roadmap.
Where a brand is retailer-owned, exclusive or heavily promoted and that relationship is verifiable, we label it clearly. These brands can still score well, but their transparency score reflects the harder like-for-like comparison.
Reviewed by the PetReviews editorial team
Independent scoring · Updated June 2026 · Not veterinary advice