Dee-Ann Durbin
Nestlé said Wednesday that it would remove artificial colors from US food and drinks by mid-2026.
It is the latest major food company making that pledge. Last week, Kraft Heinz and General Mills said they would remove artificial dyes from US products by 2027. General Mills said it plans to remove artificial dyes from all foods offered at US grains and K-12 schools by mid-2026.
There is a wide range of support for this movement. According to an AP-NORC poll, about two-thirds of Americans prefer to limit or reformulate processed foods to remove ingredients such as sugar and dyes. Both California and West Virginia have recently banned artificial dyes in foods offered at schools.
On Sunday, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas signed a bill that requires foods made from artificial dyes or additives that include new safety labels starting in 2027. The label is said to contain ingredients “not recommended for human consumption” in Australia, Canada, the European Union or the UK.
The federal government is also increasing scrutiny of artificial colors. In January, days before President Donald Trump took office, US regulators banned dyes called Red 3 from the country’s food supply, almost 35 years after being banned from cosmetics due to potential cancer risks.
In April, Trump’s Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty McCurry said they would take steps to eliminate synthetic dyes by the end of 2026, primarily by relying on voluntary efforts from the food industry.
Nestlé has previously committed to removing artificial dyes. Earlier in 2015, the company said it would remove artificial flavors and colors from its products by the end of the year. However, the promise was not kept.
Nestlé said Wednesday that it has been removing synthetic dyes from its products over the past decade, with 90% of its US portfolio not containing them. Among them is the Nesquik Banana Strawberry Milk, made of red 3.
Nestlé said Wednesday that he would like to evolve with the changing nutritional needs and preferences of U.S. customers.
“Serving and pleaseing people is at the heart of everything we do and every decision we make,” Nestlé’s US CEO Marty Thompson said in a statement.
Original issue: June 25th, 2025, 5:04pm EDT
