[Consumerwide - Jinil Kang Reporter / Yohan Bok Reporter] The Korean pet market is growing rapidly as it has been approaching the first trillion won in the pet care market last year. The pet food market has grown to a 1.9 trillion won scale and it is predicted to approach 2trillion won this year. Yet, there was no regulation to restrict the expiry date of pet food. Since then, recently canine food distribution began having evidance to resolve this issue due to Amendment to the legislation proposal on Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act, which has passed the National assembly regular session on the 6th, proposed by Jeon Jaesu, a member of the national assembly(Busan Buk and Ganseogu Gab area/ member of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee/ Deobuleominjudang).

According to Euromonito International, a global market research business, the pet care market recorded 3.5 trillion won last year, which is an 11% increase from a year prior. It is predicted to reach 3.25 trillion won this year. The pet food market seems to have attained approx. 2 trillion won this year. It was 1.9 trillion won last year. The pet food and snack market, which takes the largest portion in the pet care and food industry, is anticipated to reach 1.97 trillion won this year, which is approx 6% of the growth rate. The dog food market grew by 7% while the cat food market grew by 16% last year. But this year, the pet food market is predicted to secure 2% for dogs (1.16 tillion won), and 12% for cats (0.815 tillion won, this year.

The pet care and food market are growing quickly, but due to lack of regulation to ban canine food sales that are out of expiry date, the health of pets is in danger. For the case of food, referring to the Food Sanitation Act, it is banned to sell, store, and display food that is out of expiry date for sales purposes. If one acts against the law, he shall be punished by imprisonment with labor for less than three years or a fine not exceeding 30 million won. For the case of canine food, though there is a regulation for marking the expiry date on the container or packaging by manufacturers or import businesses, there is no regulation to forbid them from selling. This means that any pet owner has a chance to get pet food that is out of expiry date, which is again consumption value.

Jeon Jaesu, a member of the national assembly (Busan Buk and Ganseogu Gab area/ member of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Committee/ Deobuleominjudang)

Thankfully, these worries might not be necessary any more. The "Amendment to the legislation proposal on Control of Livestock and Fish Feed Act", which has been suggested by Mr. Jeon, has passed during the National assembly regular session on the 6th. Now, we have evidence to support regulations to keep up with the expiry date of pet food.

According to the law, which has been passed by the regular session of the National assembly since proposed by Jeon Jaesu, selling pet food that is out of expiry date is no longer legal due to sanitation law. Neither the manufacturer, the importing business nor the sales business can store or display the pet food that is out of expiry date for sale purposes. In the case of breaking them, he is punished with under 1 year imprisonment or a fine not exceeding 10 million won.

Mr.Jeon said, "We will strive to build a society where man and animal can happily live by securing pet food safety and animal health management."