Walmart to stop use of synthetic dyes in private label food products
Walmart will remove synthetic food dyes and more than 30 additional ingredients including certain preservatives and artificial sweeteners from its U.S. private brand food products, the company announced this week.
The nation's largest retailer made the announcement on Wednesday, stating that the move "is a significant step forward in its ongoing mission to provide customers with affordable, high-quality private brand products."
The private labels include Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and bettergoods.
Walmart is the latest in a slew of major consumer product goods companies that have announced plans to change ingredients in their processed foods, including Mars Wrigley, Tyson Foods and Kellogg.
Walmart said the decision came "in response to changing customer preferences," citing a new customer survey in which they found shoppers "are increasingly more interested in what's in their food, with sixty-two percent of customers saying they want more transparency and fifty-four percent saying they review food ingredients."
"By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we're reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about," John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., said in a statement.
Last year, Walmart launched the chef-inspired private brand bettergoods, which also includes a plant-based line of foods, of which 70% of the items under $5.
Walmart said about 90% of its U.S. food private brand products are already free from synthetic dyes.
Customers will see reformulated products roll out over the coming months, Walmart said, with "longer lead time changes planned to wrap up by January 2027 at the latest."
