Central Garden & Pet Company
CENT
Consumer Staples
2
exclusion reasons
2 themes
This page is part of our public exclusion list — a transparency tool that shows which companies we screen out and why. It is not investment advice, and it is not an accusation. But it is subject to change as our understanding of the facts evolves.
Central Garden & Pet Company is a major manufacturer and distributor of pet supplies, garden care products, and animal feed. Its business model is built on the commercial use of animals, primarily through the sale of products for companion animals, livestock, and wild birds. This includes brands for pet food, bedding, containment, and care, which inherently commodify animals.
The company has been involved in litigation related to its business practices. In 2021, a class action lawsuit was filed against the company concerning its pet products, though the motion for class certification was ultimately denied. Separately, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a final order in August 2024 cancelling two of the company's pesticide products, Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 1 and Equil Chlorpyrifos ULV 2, due to safety concerns.
Central Garden & Pet Company manufactures and distributes a range of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and lawn care chemicals through its Garden segment. This segment generated approximately $2.4 billion in revenue in fiscal 2023, representing about 65% of the company's total sales. Its major retail customers include Walmart, The Home Depot, and Lowe's.
The company has a documented history of regulatory violations related to its pesticide products. In 2020, the U.S. EPA settled with Central Garden & Pet and another firm for distributing pesticide products with outdated labeling that lacked current safety information. Earlier, in 2006, the company received a sixty-day notice of intent to sue for alleged violations of the Safe Drinking Water Act related to a product. It has also been subject to enforcement actions under California's Proposition 65 for knowingly exposing individuals to listed chemicals without proper warning.
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Companies appear on our exclusion list based on our investment judgment — not because they've done anything illegal. This is a difference of values and opinion, not an accusation of wrongdoing. Exclusion does not constitute a recommendation against investing in any company, and absence from the list does not constitute a recommendation to invest.
This information is provided for educational and transparency purposes only and should not be relied upon as investment advice. Data is drawn from independent watchdogs, NGOs, government registries, and Ethical Capital's ongoing research — see Research Sources for the full list.
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