CPG Giants Commit to Phasing Out Artificial Colors

Since the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced plans to work with the food industry to remove synthetic food dyes voluntarily, several large food companies have committed to self-imposed deadlines to do so. While this is being done on a voluntary basis, the government agencies intend to have these food dyes eliminated by the end of next year.

The announcement came in April, when FDA reported that it would establish a national standard and timeline for the transition, revoke authorization for Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B, and remove six petrochemical-based dyes from the food supply by the end of next year.

According to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., petroleum-based synthetic food colors are “poisonous compounds” that “offer no nutritional benefit and pose real, measurable dangers to our children’s health and development.”

Concern about the potential detrimental impacts of artificial dyes on children’s health and development stem from emerging research that suggests exposure to synthetic food dyes can lead to hyperactivity and allergic reactions in children.

PepsiCo

Two days after the HHS and FDA announcement, PepsiCo noted that it was already committed to phasing out synthetic dyes from its foods and beverages, but that it would accelerate the process.

“We’ve been leading the transformation of the industry now for a long time,” said Ramon Laguarta, CEO, during a recent conference call. “Sixty-plus percent of our business today doesn’t have any artificial color, so we’re undergoing that transition … brands like Lay’s will be out of artificial colors by the end of this year. Same with Tostitos. So, some of our big brands are already well underway … Ideally, we obviously stand by the science, and our products are very safe and there’s nothing to worry about with this, but we understand that there’s going to be a consumer demand for more natural ingredients, and we’re going to be accelerating that transition.”

Nestlé

On June 25, Nestlé committed to removing FD&C colors from its products by mid-2026, noting that over 90% of its portfolio in the U.S. already doesn’t contain them.

“Serving and delighting people is at the heart of everything we do and every decision that we make. We have been doing so for over 100 years, and that longevity is built on an unwavering commitment to understanding our consumers, adapting to their evolving expectations, and meeting their immediate needs, but with a future-focused approach,” said Marty Thompson, CEO of Nestlé USA. “Nestlé USA remains committed to providing consumers with affordable, high-quality food and beverages.”

TreeHouse Foods

TreeHouse Foods, which sells a range of private label foods and beverages, said it has been working to phase out artificial colors.

“With respect to the public policy changes regarding food ingredients, we have been working on reformulation for some time and in some cases are already meeting the future standards. We do applaud the efforts of the FDA to establish one national standard,” said Steve Oakland, chairman, CEO, and president, during a Q1 2025 earnings call, referring to a patchwork of inconsistent state bills and laws seeking to ban certain food additives, including colors.  

General Mills

General Mills will remove FD&C colors from all U.S. cereals and all K-12 school foods by the summer of 2026, the company announced on June 17. The change impacts only a small portion of the company’s K-12 school portfolio, as nearly all of its offerings are made without FD&C dyes. Similarly, 85% of the company’s products don’t contain FD&C colors.

“Across the long arc of our history, General Mills has moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs, and reformulating our product portfolio to remove certified colors is yet another example,” said Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO, General Mills. “Today, the vast majority of our foods are made without certified colors and we’re working to ensure that will soon apply to our full portfolio. Knowing the trust families place in us, we are leading the way on removing certified colors in cereals and K-12 foods by next summer. We’re committed to continuing to make food that tastes great and is accessible to all.”

Kraft Heinz

Kraft Heinz announced that it will phase out FD&C colors before the end of 2027. By volume, nearly 90% of products Kraft Heinz sells do not contain FD&C colors. For those that do, the company will remove colors where it is not critical to the consumer experience; replace FD&C colors with natural colors; or reinvent new colors and shades where current matching natural replacements are not available.

“The vast majority of our products use natural or no colors, and we’ve been on a journey to reduce our use of FD&C colors across the remainder of our portfolio,” said Pedro Navio, North America president at Kraft Heinz. “In fact, we removed artificial colors, preservatives, and flavors from our beloved Kraft Mac & Cheese back in 2016. Our iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup has never had artificial dyes; the red color comes simply from the world’s best tomatoes. Above all, we are focused on providing nutritious, affordable, and great-tasting food for Americans and this is a privilege we don’t take lightly.”

Kraft Heinz noted that in recent years, it has made changes to more than 1,000 product recipes to improve their nutritional profiles. This has included measures to add protein or fiber, and reduce sugar, salt, or saturated fat. The company is on track to remove 55 million pounds of sugar from its products sold by the end of this year.

Conagra Brands

Conagra Brands intends to phase out FD&C colors from its portfolio of frozen products by the end of 2025.

“Conagra Brands is known for innovating delicious, on-trend foods, and our transition away from FD&C colors is just one aspect of our broader strategy to modernize our portfolio to align with consumer preferences,” said Tom McGough, executive vice president and COO of Conagra Brands. “Our leading portfolio of frozen brands, including Birds Eye, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender’s and more, will be 100% free from FD&C colors by the end of 2025.”

Further, the company will not offer products with FD&C colors to K-12 schools by the beginning of the 2026-2027 school year.

Smucker’s

The J.M. Smucker Co. announced on June 26 that it would remove FD&C colors from all of its consumer food products by the end of 2027. It presently uses artificial food dyes in sugar-free fruit spreads, ice cream toppings, and certain Hostess products.

“As a food manufacturer, our top priority is to provide safe, quality, affordable, and convenient products that meet the needs of our consumers, and this decision supports that commitment,” said John Brase, president and COO. “Our teams are working diligently on reformulation planning while evaluating supply considerations to help ensure we continue to deliver products that delight our consumers.”