Walmart will remove dyes and other additives from its US house-brand products by 2027

By Kristen Rogers, CNN

(CNN) — Walmart will remove artificial dyes and 30 other additives — such as artificial sweeteners, fat substitutes and various preservatives — from its US private-brand food and beverage products, the company announced Wednesday. The decision marks the latest corporate move in response to evolving consumer tastes and the yearslong crackdown on food additives that began with state lawmakers, particularly those in California. The momentum has picked up steam this year amid Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

The change in Walmart brands, including Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and bettergoods, will be in full effect by 2027.

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

The 11 dyes being removed are blue dyes No. 1 and No. 2; green dye No. 3; red dyes No. 3, No. 4 and No. 40; yellow dyes No. 5 and No. 6; citrus red dye; orange B dye; and canthaxanthin, an orange-red pigment naturally found in some bacteria, algae, fungi, crustaceans, and tissues and egg yolk from wild birds. Except for canthaxanthin and orange B dye, the other colorants are made from petroleum. All of these dyes are commonly used to make food and beverage products brightly colored and more appealing to consumers.

The push to rid the food system of artificial dyes stems from concerns about negative impacts on animal and human health, including a potentially increased risk of cancer and neurobehavioral issues. California banned red dye No. 3 statewide in October 2023, followed by a ban of six other common dyes in school foods in September.

The US Food and Drug Administration banned red dye No. 3 in January, effective for food on January 15, 2027, and for drugs on January 18, 2028 — but the agency has since asked food companies to eliminate the dye sooner. In March, West Virginia passed the most sweeping law thus far, prohibiting seven dyes and two preservatives.

The other additives Walmart plans to remove include preservatives such as butylparaben and propylparaben; fat substitutes such as synthetic trans fatty acid and sucrose polyester; and artificial sweeteners advantame and neotame.

“This commitment 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,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a statement. “Walmart’s decision shows that food companies don’t have to wait for the FDA’s regulatory process to catch up with the science.”

Several of the ingredients Walmart is nixing, including red dye No. 3, are already banned or not commonly used. About 90% of Walmart’s house-brand products are already free of synthetic dyes, according to the news release.

“Walmart accounts for 25% to 30% of all grocery sales in the United States and anything it does reverberates throughout the entire industry,” Dr. Marion Nestle, the Paulette Goddard Professor Emerita of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health at New York University, said via email. “If it is removing the artificial colors from its house brands, other retailers … will have to follow suit.”

Major food companies including Kraft Heinz, General Mills, WK Kellogg Co, The Campbell’s Company, PepsiCo and Utz have pledged to remove artificial dyes by 2027, Nestle added — all following the Trump administration’s April request that companies voluntarily alter their product formulations.

“This is a big MAHA win, and one that food advocates have urged for decades,” Nestle said. “I’m hoping MAHA will build on this and now take on more important issues.”

State actions also likely influenced the Walmart decision, Dr. Jennifer Pomeranz, associate professor of public health policy and management at the New York University School of Global Public Health, said via email.

“The food companies are not going to create ‘better’ products for one state — especially California which has one of the biggest economies in the world — or for several states, so they are forced to change the ingredients in their food nationally,” she added.

If you want to avoid food dyes and other additives until various restrictions, bans and reformulations take place, reading ingredient lists when you shop is always your best bet, experts said.

QUIZ: How much ultraprocessed food are you eating?

On ingredient lists, these artificial dyes are sometimes referred to using the following terms:

• Red dye No. 3: red 3, FD&C Red No. 3 or erythrosine
• Red dye No. 40: red 40, FD&C Red No. 40 or Allura Red AC
• Blue dye No. 1: blue 1, FD&C Blue No. 1 or Brilliant Blue FCF
• Blue dye No. 2: FD&C Blue No. 2 or indigotine
• Green dye No. 3: FD&C Green No. 3 or Fast Green FCF
• Yellow dye No. 5: yellow 5, FD&C Yellow No. 5 or tartrazine
• Yellow dye No. 6: yellow 6, FD&C Yellow No. 6 or sunset yellow

Dyes listed with the word “lake” in any ingredient list indicate the dye is a water-insoluble version, meaning it can dissolve in oily foods or low-moisture foods.

Since these ingredients are typically found in ultraprocessed foods, not eating those is a shortcut to eliminating the additives from your diet. Ultraprocessed foods are made with industrial techniques and ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens,” according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. These foods are typically low in fiber and high in calories, added sugar, refined grains and fats, sodium, and additives, all of which are designed to help make food more appealing.

Accordingly, shifting away from these products may result in more significant health benefits, as numerous studies have linked consumption of ultraprocessed foods with health issues including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, premature death, cancer, depression, cognitive decline, stroke and sleep disorders.

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