Regulation (EC) 767/2009

Regulation (EC) 767/2009 is the core European law governing how animal feed, including pet food, is placed on the market and labelled, setting out mandatory label statements and the legal definitions that underpin everyday packaging. It is the EU instrument that defines what a [complete food](/glossary/complete-food) and a [complementary food](/glossary/complementary-food) actually are, and it requires the declared nutrient levels shown in the [analytical constituents](/glossary/analytical-constituents) list (Regulation (EC) 767/2009). For a premium buyer in Europe or the UK, this regulation is effectively the rulebook behind much of what you read on a bag or pouch: it dictates that ingredients appear in a defined order, that the intended species and purpose be stated, and that claims not mislead. A useful point of orientation is that it is the European counterpart to the US AAFCO model regulations, though the two differ in structure: the EU text is binding law applied across member states, whereas [AAFCO](/glossary/aafco) produces models that individual US states adopt. Industry formulation guidance from [FEDIAF](/glossary/fediaf) operates inside this legal frame, providing the nutrient targets that satisfy the regulation's completeness concept. Following the UK's departure from the EU, retained and amended versions of this regime continue to shape British pet-food labelling, so its definitions remain practically relevant on both sides of the Channel. For how EU and US rules compare, see the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary).

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General documentary information. For an individual animal, a veterinarian's advice takes precedence over any online content.