Walmart to Cut Synthetic Dyes From Store-Brand Foods

Walmart, America’s largest retailer, announced it’s joining other major brands, such as Heinz and General Mills, to eliminate synthetic dyes and ingredients, including certain preservatives and artificial sweeteners, from its private brand food products. According to a statement by the retail giant, the change includes “all Walmart U.S. food private brands such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed, and Bettergoods.” 

The change comes after Walmart surveyed its customers, finding that 62% said they want more transparency in what’s in their food, while 54% reported reviewing food ingredients on a regular basis. 

“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients — and we’ve listened,” John Furner, the president and CEO of Walmart U.S., said. “By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”

However, it might not be as significant a change as you think, as the company also noted that approximately 90% of its private brand products are already free of synthetic dyes. Plus, the Associated Press reported that many of the ingredients Walmart plans to remove have already been banned in the U.S., or haven’t been used in the food supply for decades. 

Still, Furner shared, it’s a change that aligns with consumer desires. “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,” he added. 

It also aligns with what Robert Kennedy Jr., Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, asked of food manufacturers earlier this year. In April, RFK Jr. and Marty Makary, commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), announced plans to phase out seven petroleum-based synthetic food dyes that are currently permitted in food and drugs by the FDA. The duo shared that they aim to have these removed from the food supply by the end of 2027.

The move is being applauded by advocacy groups like Consumer Reports.

“Walmart’s decision to eliminate these additives from its private label products represents a very positive step towards getting harmful synthetic dyes, sweeteners, and other chemicals out of our food,” Brian Ronholm, the director of food policy at Consumer Reports, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine. “As the leading grocer in the U.S., this move will have a significant impact on the market and the safety of the food that so many Americans purchase for their families.”

He added that this change is a “bold declaration and response to consumer sentiment that has become increasingly wary of the long list of chemicals found in so many processed foods. Walmart’s decision shows that food companies don’t have to wait for the FDA’s regulatory process to catch up with the science. Hopefully, others in the food industry will take notice and follow suit.”

Now, Walmart will collaborate with its suppliers to adjust their formulations and source the necessary alternative ingredients. Just don’t expect this change to happen overnight. According to Walmart, customers will start to see some of the reformulated products rolling out over the coming months, with a full transition by January 2027 “at the latest.”