General Mills to Remove Artificial Colors from K-12 Foods and Grains

General Mills announced on Tuesday plans to eliminate artificial colors from all grains and K-12 foods across the United States. According to a press release, the company aims to complete this transition by the summer of 2026, with a goal to also remove these colors from their entire U.S. retail offerings by the end of 2027.

“Throughout our long history, we’ve been adapting to the changing needs of consumers,” said the company’s spokesperson. “Reorganizing our product lineup to eliminate artificial colors is just another example of this evolution.”

The spokesperson also noted that most of the company’s offerings are already produced without certified colors. Additionally, they emphasized a commitment to creating appealing and accessible food options for families, stating, “We are leading the charge in this area, particularly with cereals and K-12 foods, by next summer.”

This announcement coincides with a similar move from Kraft Heinz, which revealed it would stop launching new products containing artificial dyes. Kraft Heinz plans to phase out the use of these colors in its array of products by the end of 2027 as well.

Earlier in March, General Mills expressed its intention to eliminate artificial dyes from its products. In related news, a public figure has been advocating for dietary changes to address chronic illnesses, including a push for the removal of food dyes from the U.S. food supply.

In April, a collaboration between this figure and the FDA Commissioner was announced, revealing plans to remove petroleum-based food dyes from both food and medicines available in the U.S. Additionally, the FDA is targeting synthetic dyes for removal by the end of next year, specifically names such as FD&C Green No. 3 and FD&C Red No. 40 among others.