“This action is a significant step forward in its ongoing mission to provide customers with affordable, high-quality private brand products,” noted the Walmart website.
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
What Walmart is hearing from customers
“This effort marks one of the largest private brand reformulations in retail history,” said Sam Rossi of Lesic & Camper Communications on behalf of Walmart. “About 90% of Walmart’s private brand foods are already free from synthetic dyes, and reformulated products will begin rolling out to stores and online in the months ahead.”
Rossi cited the following statistics based on customer responses:
- 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.
“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 of Walmart U.S., in a press statement. “By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about.”
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Synthetic dyes being removed
Walmart is eliminating these 11 synthetic dyes from all private brand food products.
- 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
- Canthaxanthin
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Additional ingredients being removed
In addition to dyes, these 30 ingredients are also 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 & 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
- Talc
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Credit: CONTRIBUTED
Timeline for updates in stores
According to the Walmart website, customers can expect to see reformulated products rolling out in the coming months, with all changes finished by January 2027.
For more information, visit walmart.com.
About the Author
