Supermarket dry food: what are they really worth?

"Supermarket dry food is junk." The phrase circulates in forums and specialized pet store aisles. We decided to verify it rather than repeat it.

The methodology

Each product is scored out of 100 by a deterministic calculation — same product, same score, no brand can pay to improve it. Three pillars: nutrition (50%), ingredient quality (35%), additive safety (15%). Details on our methodology page.

The ranking of supermarket brands

What this table really says

No supermarket brand is catastrophic. The lowest average, Friskies, is at 54/100 — an "Adequate" on our scale, not "Discouraged". The idea that mass distribution sells dangerous products doesn't hold up to the numbers.

But the gap between brands is real: 18 points separate Purina Pro Plan from Friskies. On a food eaten every day for years, that's not a detail.

The gap within the same brand is even larger. Royal Canin ranges from 49 to 76 depending on the product line. Whiskas from 48 to 73. In other words: choosing the right product from an average brand beats random choice from a good brand. That's the most useful message from this table.

Protein percentage is not the score

Look at César: 8.3% protein on average, yet 63/100. These are wet foods — 75-82% water. Converted to dry matter, their protein content is quite sound. Comparing the protein-on-packaging of wet food and dry food is like comparing juice and fruit.

This is exactly what PawScore corrects: it evaluates each product against the nutritional profile of its category, not against a single benchmark.

What the score doesn't say

It rates the product, not the fit for your animal. A food at 76/100 may be inadvisable for a neutered overweight cat. Breed, age, weight, spaying/neutering, and allergies shift the score by ±50 points.

Browse the catalog or compare two products.

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SokoScan Labs analysis. Figures as of August 11, 2026. Informational: does not replace veterinary advice.