Share and Follow
NEW YORK (AP) — By the end of May, Target plans to discontinue sales of all cereals that contain certified synthetic colors.
This decision, announced on Friday, reflects the growing scrutiny from both American consumers and the current U.S. administration regarding the ingredients in packaged foods.
Based in Minneapolis, Target has been progressively eliminating synthetic colors from its cereal selection over the past few years. Presently, nearly 85% of its cereal offerings are already free from certified synthetic dyes. Some artificial dyes, such as Red No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and 6, and Blue No. 1, are under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Target has collaborated with both national and private brands to reformulate products where necessary. According to the retailer, some cereals will feature new formulations, while many already align with its new standard of no certified synthetic colors.
“We recognize that consumers are increasingly focused on healthier living, and we are swiftly adapting our products to meet these preferences,” stated Cara Sylvester, Target’s executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, in a press release.
Target said that reformulating its cereal line builds on the foundation Target established in 2019 with the launch of its store label food brand Good & Gather, which is made without artificial flavors and sweeteners, synthetic colors or high fructose corn syrup. The brand has more than 2,500 products across dairy, produce, ready made pastas meat as well as baby and toddler food.
In recent months, major food companies such as Kraft Heinz, Nestle and Conagra Brands have pledged to eliminate petroleum-based synthetic dyes in coming years.
General Mills also announced last year that it plans to remove artificial dyes from all of its U.S. cereals and all foods served in K-12 schools by the summer of 2026. It is also looking to eliminate the dyes from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
The food company said last June that brands like Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Cascadian Farm, Annie’s, Nature Valley, LÄRABAR and others are already made without certified colors.
Last October,Walmart said it plans to remove synthetic food dyes and 30 other ingredients, including some preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes, from its store brands sold in the United States by January 2027.
Early this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced it was relaxing rules t hat restrict when food companies can claim their products have no artificial colors.
The agency said that food labels may claim to have “no artificial colors” when they’re free of petroleum-based dyes, even when they contain dyes derived from natural sources such as plants. Previously, the FDA had let companies make those claims only when products “had no added color whatsoever,” according to the agency’s statement.
The announcement marked yet another step toward the Trump administration’s mission to eliminate synthetic dyes from the nation’s food supply.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary had said the move would entice companies to switch to natural rather than synthetic colors if they can claim their products contain no artificial colors.