Walmart U.S. will eliminate synthetic dyes and the use of an additional 30 ingredients, including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes from its private brand food products.
The change, which includes all Walmart U.S. food private brands such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed and bettergoods, is in line with evolving customer preferences and in support of a more transparent food system.
“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients – and we’ve listened,” said John Furner, president and CEO, Walmart U.S. “By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”
The move comes as part of Walmart’s journey to evolve its private brands in response to changing customer preferences. According to a new survey, customers are increasingly more interested in what’s in their food, with 62 percent of customers saying they want more transparency and 54 percent saying they review food ingredients.
This growing trend among customers is in part why last year, the retailer launched bettergoods, a quality, chef-inspired private brand which includes a line of plant-based and “made without” items, with 70 percent of the items under $5.
While this move is one of the largest private brand reformulations in retail history, it isn’t the first time Walmart has removed ingredients customers don’t want. Today, about 90 percent of Walmart U.S. food private brand products are free from synthetic dyes.
“This commitment demonstrates how Walmart is responding to changing customer preferences, while also setting the standard for providing exceptional quality and innovation at an outstanding value,” Furner said.
The retailer is working with private brand suppliers to adjust formulations and source alternative ingredients, while preserving the same great taste customers have come to expect. Walmart customers will begin to see the reformulated products rolling out over the coming months, with longer lead time changes planned to wrap up by January 2027 at the latest.
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The synthetic dyes being removed include: FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Blue 2, FD&C Green 3, FD&C Red 3, FD&C Red 4, FD&C Red 40, FD&C Yellow 5, FD&C Yellow 6, FD&C Citrus Red, FD&C Orange B and Canthaxanthin.
In addition to dyes, these 30 ingredients also are being removed from Walmart U.S. private brand foods: Titanium Dioxide, Azodicarbonamide, Dicotyl Sodium Sulfosuccinate (DSS), Sucrose Polyester, Toluene, Anisole, Lye, Morpholine, Propylene oxide, Sodium Stearyl Fumarate, Stearyl tartrate, Ficin, Synthetic trans fatty acid, Butylparaben, Lactylated Esters of Mon and Diglycerides (OLEON), Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Calcium Bromate, Potassium Bromate, Bromated flour, Neotame, Advantame, Phthalates, Potassium Bisulfite, Potassium Nitrate, Potassium Nitrite, Simplesse, Sodium Ferrocyanide (aka Yellow Prussiate of Soda), Sucroglycerides and Talc.