ST. LOUIS, Feb. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pro Plan LiveClear announced its win as Product of the Year for 2021, receiving top honors in the cat care category. Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation, chosen by 40,000 American shoppers in a national survey conducted by Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. Praised for its innovation in the pet food space, Pro Plan LiveClear is a breakthrough formula for cats that reduces the major allergen in cat hair and dander. It is the culmination of more than a decade of Purina research dedicated to finding a safe, effective way to address a problem that impacts countless cat-owning households worldwide.
"Many people think that cat hair is the problem, but it's actually what's on it – the major cat allergen called Fel d 1," said Dr. Ebenezer Satyaraj, immunologist with Purina and lead researcher for Pro Plan LiveClear. "Fel d 1 is produced naturally in cat saliva, and when they groom themselves, it gets on the hair and skin through the saliva, and ultimately into the environment."
The key ingredient in Pro Plan LiveClear is a specific protein sourced from eggs. When cats eat LiveClear, the protein binds to Fel d 1 and safely neutralizes it in the mouth. By reducing the active allergen in saliva, it reduces the allergen transferred to the cat's hair and dander when grooming, ultimately reducing the allergen in the environment.
According to a survey* from the Human Animal Bond Research Institute, approximately 1 in 4 U.S. cat owners are or have someone in their household who is sensitive to cat allergens. When fed daily, Pro Plan LiveClear has been shown to significantly reduce the major allergen in cat hair and dander in as little as three weeks. It's an entirely new way to manage cat allergens, helping cat owners build even closer bonds with the cats they love.
Product of the Year accepts entries each year from recently launched consumer-packaged goods that demonstrate exceptional innovation in their function, design, packaging or ingredients. Products are placed into categories such as food, beverage, personal care, household care, etc. with winners chosen per category in the survey of 40,000 consumers. This year's winning products reflect the trends and categories that shoppers care about most as they spend more time at home. As consumer shopping behavior shifted rapidly in the past year, the annual Product of the Year Awards provides a trusted resource to easily guide consumers to the best new products on the market.
Pro Plan LiveClear is currently available nationwide at pet specialty stores and online retailers in three formulas including Adult Chicken & Rice formula, Adult Salmon & Rice formula, and Adult Sensitive Skin & Stomach Turkey & Oat Meal formula. Starting March, 2021, three new Pro Plan LiveClear formulas will be available, including Adult Weight Management, Adult Indoor and Adult 7+ Prime Plus.
For more information about Pro Plan LiveClear, visit proplanliveclear.com. For further information about the 2021 Product of the Year winners, visit productoftheyearusa.com.
About Nestlé Purina PetCare
Nestlé Purina PetCare creates richer lives for pets and the people who love them. Founded in 1894, Purina has helped dogs and cats live longer, healthier lives by offering scientifically based nutritional innovations. Purina manufactures some of the world's most trusted and popular pet care products, including Purina ONE, Pro Plan, Fancy Feast and Tidy Cats. Our more than 8,000 U.S. associates take pride in our trusted pet food, treat and litter brands that feed 49 million dogs and 66 million cats every year. More than 500 Purina scientists, veterinarians, and pet care experts ensure our commitment to unsurpassed quality and nutrition.
Purina promotes responsible pet care through our scientific research, our products and our support for pet-related organizations. Over the past five years, Purina has contributed more than $150 million towards organizations that bring, and keep, people and pets together, as well as those that help our communities and environment thrive.
Purina is part of Nestlé, a global leader in Nutrition, Health and Wellness. For more information, visit purina.com or subscribe here to get the latest Purina news.
About Product of the Year
Product of the Year is the largest consumer-voted award for product innovation. Established over 30 years ago, POY currently operates in over 40 countries with the same purpose: Guide consumers to the best products in their market and reward manufacturers for quality and innovation. Product of the Year winners are backed by the votes of 40,000 consumers in a national representative study conducted by research partner Kantar, a global leader in consumer research. The award is a powerful merchandising program for marketers proven to increase product sales, distribution and awareness. Winning products are announced in February each year and receive the right to use the Product of the Year logo in marketing communications for two years. For more information, visit productoftheyearusa.com.
About Kantar:
Kantar is the world's leading marketing data, insight and consultancy company. We know more about how people live, feel, shop, vote, watch and post worldwide than any other company. Working across the entire sales and marketing lifecycle, we help brands uncover growth in an extraordinary world. Kantar is part of WPP and its services are employed by over half of the Fortune 500 companies in 100 countries.
*SOURCE: Human Animal Bond Research Institute/Purina Pro Plan online survey of 2,062 cat owners age 22 or older, fielded Dec. 2019 by data and analytics consultancy, LRW.
SOURCE Purina