Pet Deodorizer Prices Vary Up to 16 Times per Unit Volume

Consumer Agency Tests Deodorizing Performance of 9 Products
"Performance Varies by Odor-Causing Substances and Products"

As the number of households with pets increases, various deodorizing products that can eliminate odors occurring in living spaces are being sold. However, a recent investigation revealed that the price per volume of these products can differ by up to 16 times, and some products provide consumers with misleading information regarding their performance, necessitating caution.

Deodorant products displayed at a large supermarket in Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News

On the 10th, the Korea Consumer Agency announced that after testing and evaluating the deodorizing performance, quality, safety, and environmental aspects of nine deodorizing products for pet activity spaces, the price per volume differed by more than 15 times. Some products omitted labeling items or used terms that could mislead consumers, indicating a need for improvement.

Specifically, when checking prices based on 100㎖, the 'Pet Deodorizer' (Sando Ggaebi Co., Ltd.) was the cheapest at 200 KRW, while 'Freshmi Spray' (Bite Me Co., Ltd.) was the most expensive at 3,132 KRW, resulting in a maximum price difference of 15.7 times between products. One product, 'Gogangtal' (Bio Sinhwa Co., Ltd.), used the term 'non-irritating' in its advertisement, which could lead consumers to mistakenly believe the product is harmless, requiring improvement. In response, Bio Sinhwa replied to the Consumer Agency with plans to revise the advertisement content for the product.

The deodorizing performance against odors originating from pet excrement and food varied depending on the odor-causing substances and the products. Most products showed relatively better deodorizing performance against urine odor (ammonia) compared to feces odor (hydrogen sulfide). Additionally, deodorizing performance against fishy smell from pet food (trimethylamine) was better than that against odors produced during food spoilage (methyl mercaptan).

Harmful substances regulated by related standards, such as formaldehyde and methanol, as well as CMIT and MIT components prohibited in spray products, were not detected, and all products complied with the relevant standards. All products also met the standards concerning allergens known to cause skin rashes and respiratory diseases in humans.

Based on the results of this investigation, the Consumer Agency plans to recommend improvements to the businesses of products with identified issues and notify relevant government departments of the related matters.