VEVEY, Switzerland: Nestlé plans to remove artificial colours from all products worldwide by the end of 2026, technology chief Stefan Palzer told Reuters on Tuesday.
Palzer said the target extends Nestlé’s existing work beyond the United States, where the company has already removed artificial colourings from its portfolio.
“By the end of the year, we will have the global Nestlé portfolio free of artificial colours,” Palzer told Reuters at the company’s headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.
The move makes Nestlé the first major food company to set a global target for removing artificial colours, according to the Reuters report.
Food manufacturers and retailers have faced rising scrutiny over ingredients such as FD&C synthetic dyes and corn syrup.
The pressure has grown as consumers focus more on processed-food labels and as GLP-1 weight-loss drugs reshape demand for packaged food.
Palzer said the shift was not simple and required years of research and development. He said Nestlé screened natural alternatives, tested them during production and assessed their shelf life.
Palzer said the company made the change because consumers wanted simpler recipes and did not appreciate artificial ingredients.
Read: France Probes Infant Deaths After Recalled Nestlé Baby Formula Contamination
U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Food and Drug Administration said last year that the agency aimed to remove some artificial food colourings.
U.S. officials cited possible links to ADHD, obesity and diabetes, while many scientists said more research was needed.
