Walmart announced that it will remove synthetic dyes from its products.
Along with dyes, Walmart will also eliminate the use of 30 other ingredients, including some preservatives, artificial sweeteners, and fat substitutes. The shift affects products under the brands of Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed, and Bettergoods.
The transition will occur over the coming months and will be fulfilled by January 2027 at the latest.
“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients — and we’ve listened,” said Walmart President and CEO John Furner. By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”
“This commitment demonstrates how Walmart is responding to changing customer preferences, while also setting the standard for providing exceptional quality and innovation at an outstanding value,” Furner added.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved several natural alternatives to synthetic dyes. In July, the FDA approved a petition to use gardenia (genipin) blue as a food dye and is expected to be used in “sports drinks, flavored or enhanced non-carbonated water, fruit drinks and ades, ready-to-drink teas, hard candy, and soft candy,” the agency explained at the time.
In May, the FDA approved the use of Galdieria extract blue, butterfly pea flower extract, and calcium phosphate as color alternatives. Galdieria is a color derived from the red algae Galdieria sulphuraria, to be used in beverages, coatings, and dessert products; butterfly pea flower extract is a blue color is to be used in beverages, dairy products, tea, potato chips, and snack mixes; and calcium phosphate is a white color to be used in chicken products, candy, and sugar coatings.
