Target to pull cereals with synthetic colours from its shelves

Target has said it will stop selling breakfast cereals that are made with synthetic colours by the end of May, marking the latest response by a retailer to backlash against ultra-processed foods.

The US retail giant's announcement on Friday follows commitments from several food companies to gradually phase out artificial dyes amid pressure from the Trump administration.

Artificial dyes have become a key target in a broader crackdown on processed foods under US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and his Make America Healthy Again movement.

But shifting consumer preferences, as shoppers scrutinise ingredients in packaged foods, have encouraged food makers and retailers to reassess products.

"We know consumers are increasingly prioritizing healthier lifestyles, and we're moving quickly to evolve our offerings to meet their needs," Cara Sylvester, Target's chief merchandising officer, said in a statement.

Other retailers have taken steps in recent months to phase out synthetic colours. Walmart last year announced plans to stop using synthetic dyes and dozens of other ingredients in its private-label food products by January 2027.

Retailers are adjusting the products on their shelves at the same time that food manufacturers are rethinking their ingredients. Political pressure has contributed to commitments from packaged food companies, including General Mills, Kraft Heinz and Conagra Brands, to remove artificial dyes in the years ahead.

But Target's deadline to change its cereal offerings - by this spring - puts its ahead of some rivals and ahead of some food companies' multi-year timelines.

As of now, cereals made without synthetic dyes already account for 85% of Target's cereal sales, the company said. Target declined to say whether cereal brands will adjust their formulas to accommodate Target's policy.

A spokesperson for General Mills, whose cereal brands include Cheerios and Lucky Charms, said the company remains committed to removing certified synthetic colours from all US cereals by this summer.

WK Kellogg, the company behind Froot Loops and Rice Krispies, did not immediately respond to a BBC inquiry. The food maker has previously said it plans to remove artificial dyes from its cereals by the end of 2027.

The US health secretary and his Make America Healthy Again movement have also called for companies to remove ingredients such as corn syrup, seed oils and artificial dyes from their products, linking them to health problems.

Coca-Cola last summer agreed to use real cane sugar in its drinks sold in the US.

Concern about ultra-processed foods has emerged as an area of consensus among some left-leaning officials and the Trump administration, even as they remain divided over Kennedy's other positions, most notably his scepticism of vaccines.

The California city of San Francisco in December sued ten leading food makers over their ultra-processed products, accusing the industry's giants of knowingly selling foods that have been linked to a rise in serious diseases.