Walmart said on Wednesday it would remove synthetic dyes from its U.S. private-label foods, including the Great Value and bettergoods brands, by January 2027, joining several other companies amid pressure from the Trump administration.
Major packaged food makers, including PepsiCo, Campbell’s and Conagra Brands, have made similar announcements in recent months, in response to the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has cracked down on ultra-processed food and chemical additives, saying they have led to a national crisis of childhood obesity, diabetes, cancer, mental health disorders, allergies and neurodevelopmental conditions like autism.
Walmart, the world’s largest retailer by sales, also plans to eliminate more than 30 other ingredients such as preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes from its private-label assortment.
“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients — and we’ve listened,” said Walmart U.S. president John Furner.
The company has six in-house food brands, which have been a big draw among bargain-hunting Americans. It said 90% of its private-brand foods are synthetic dye-free currently.
Walmart is swapping out artificial coloring with beet root, turmeric, black carrots, spinach and hibiscus, though blues and greens remain tougher to substitute than other colors, a company spokesperson said.