Dive Brief:
- Target plans to only sell cereals that do not contain certified synthetic colors by the end of May, the retailer announced Friday.
- The company said it has worked where needed with national brands and suppliers that make private label goods to reformulate the cereal it carries.
- Target’s decision follows recent moves by other retailers and product manufacturers to scrub foods of artificial colors.
Dive Insight:
Target indicated that it opted to cleanse its cereal offerings of synthetic colors in response to data showing that consumers are increasingly favoring foods made without artificial ingredients, especially when it comes to products they buy for children.
The company also noted that its decision aligns with standards it put into place in 2019, when it launched its flagship Good & Gather private brand. Products under that line don’t have artificial flavors and sweeteners, synthetic colors and high-fructose corn syrup.
Target added that its announcement reflects a goal of creating what it called “a grocery experience rooted in differentiation and intentional curation” for shoppers. The company said it will continue to look for opportunities “where ingredient evolution aligns with guest expectations.”
In October, Walmart said it would remove artificial dyes and dozens of other ingredients commonly found in ultraprocessed foods from its store brands by January 2027. Discount grocery chain Save A Lot announced in January that it would eliminate seven artificial dyes from all of its private label products by the end of 2027.
Major food makers including General Mills, WK Kellogg Co and Nestlé have also said they plan to remove artificial colors from their products.
Target’s move to take synthetic colors out of its cereal offerings comes as the company struggles with weak financial performance. The retailer’s comparable-store sales were down 2.7% in the third quarter of 2025, and overall sales were 1.5% below their level during the same period in 2024.
Target characterized its decision to eliminate cereals that contain artificial colors from its assortment as part of a strategy “to lead with merchandising authority and drive its next chapter of growth.”
“We know consumers are increasingly prioritizing healthier lifestyles, and we’re moving quickly to evolve our offerings to meet their needs,” Target Chief Merchandising Officer Cara Sylvester said in a statement.
The Trump administration has pushed the food industry to stop using synthetic colors and last year approved three new color additives made from natural sources. In February, however, the Food and Drug Administration granted companies the flexibility to claim that products do not contain artificial colors as long as they are not made with petroleum-based dyes.
