Walmart to Eliminate Synthetic Dyes and Ingredients by 2027
Walmart has announced plans to remove synthetic dyes, along with 30 other ingredients, from its store brand products by the year 2027.
In a press release, the company stated that synthetic dyes will be eliminated from brands like Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guarantee, and Better Cheddar.
The specific synthetic dyes slated for removal include FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Blue 2, FD&C Green 3, FD&C Red 3, FD&C Red 4, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 5, FD&C Yellow 6, FD&C Citrus Red, FD&C Orange B, and Cantaxin.
Other ingredients that will be taken out of Walmart’s store-branded products encompass titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, dicotylsodium sulfosaccharide (DSS), sucrose polyester, toluene, anisole, iron suboxide, butylparaben, and calcium bromine.
Walmart’s president and CEO, John Farner, commented, “Our customers have been saying they want products made from simpler, more familiar materials, and we listened. By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we are reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that will make our families feel better.”
The company mentioned that this isn’t the first instance of removing unwanted materials, noting that about 90% of its store-branded products are already “free of synthetic dyes.”
This initiative follows similar commitments from other major companies like Pepsico, Kraft Heinz, General Mills, Hershey, and Nestlé, all of which are also planning to eliminate artificial colors and dyes over the coming years.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. expressed approval, celebrating the response from “big food brands” in removing artificial food dyes and additives.
During a press conference in July, Kennedy revealed that nearly 35% of the US food industry has committed to eliminating artificial dyes from its offerings.
In March, during a closed meeting with CEOs from companies including General Mills and Kellogg, Kennedy said that addressing artificial dyes had become a top priority for the Trump administration.
