- Nestle plans to remove artificial food colouring from all products by end of 2026 globally
- This move makes Nestle the first major food company to commit to this change worldwide
- The initiative follows rising consumer demand for healthier foods and scrutiny of ingredients
Nestle intends to eliminate artificial food colouring from all products globally by the end of 2026, making it the first significant food business to do so, according to a senior executive who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday.
The previously unknown goal coincides with increased public scrutiny of food ingredients and pressure on food producers to provide healthier products due to the quick rise of GLP-1 weight-loss medications.
It takes Nestle's efforts outside of the US, where it has previously removed artificial colouring from its product line.
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In an exclusive interview at Nestle's Swiss headquarters in Vevey, Stefan Palzer, the company's technology leader, told Reuters, "We will have the global Nestle portfolio free of artificial colours by the end of the year."
Food producers and retailers have been removing ingredients like corn syrup and FD&C synthetic dyes from their products more and more.
Amid investor concerns that packaged food businesses could lose out as customers turn towards healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those concerned about processed meals.
Palzer stated, "It was not a slam-dunk," noting that Nestle had invested years in the changeover.
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"We had to do a lot of R&D work because you have to screen all the natural solutions, then you have to test those natural solutions during production, and then also test their shelf-life," Palzer stated.
"Customers dislike fake substances, which is why we did it. Simpler recipes are what they seek," he added.
The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced in April of last year that the agency intends to eliminate ingredients, including artificial food colourings, citing worries about potential connections to diseases like diabetes, obesity, and ADHD.
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