BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart U.S. announced Wednesday that it will eliminate synthetic dyes and more than 30 additional ingredients, including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes, from its private-brand food products by January 2027.
Those brands include Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and bettergoods.
Walmart said the move is in response to evolving customer preferences. In a recent internal survey, Walmart found:
- 62% of Walmart shoppers want more transparency in food ingredients.
- 54% say they check ingredient labels when shopping.
- Many are asking for “made without” products — foods with simpler, recognizable ingredients
In particular, Walmart will phase out 11 synthetic dyes, including FD&C Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5 and Canthaxanthin, from its private-brand food lineup.
In addition, the company plans to remove about 30 other ingredients, such as titanium dioxide, azodicarbonamide, neotame, propylparaben, phthalates, and bromated flour.
Though Walmart says roughly 90% of its private brand food products are already free of synthetic dyes, the new plan ensures consistency across its product line.
Notably, a few of the substances on the removal list are already banned, rarely used or phased out in the U.S. food supply, for example, synthetic trans fats and the fat substitute Simplesse.
Walmart will work with its private-brand suppliers to shift recipes and source alternative ingredients.
Walmart’s move comes amid growing regulatory and public attention on artificial food additives.
In 2025, the Department of Health and Human Services and the FDA called on food companies to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes.
Major food companies such as Kraft Heinz, Nestlé and Conagra have already pledged to reduce or eliminate synthetic dyes in their products.
