Walmart to remove dyes and 30+ additives from store brands

Walmart on Oct. 1 announced it will remove synthetic dyes and more than 30 other additives from its U.S. private‑label food products, including brands such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and Bettergoods, with reformulations rolling out in the coming months and completing by January 2027. The retailer said the move affects a wide range of items from snacks and baked goods to drinks, condiments and frozen or canned foods.

Walmart said the decision was driven by customer demand for simpler, more transparent ingredient lists. The company cited a recent survey in which 62 percent of respondents said they want more transparency in food products and 54 percent said they review ingredient labels. Walmart also said roughly 90 percent of its current private‑label foods are already free from synthetic dyes.

Examples of ingredients Walmart identified for removal include synthetic food dyes such as Red 3 and Orange B, as well as titanium dioxide and a set of preservatives, certain artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes. The company said it is working with suppliers to adjust formulations and find alternative ingredients while preserving taste and price points that...