Nestle plans to eliminate artificial food coloring from all of its products globally by the end of 2026, a senior executive told The Associated Press on Tuesday. Reuters, which makes it the first large company in the sector to take this step.
The goal, which has not been reported before, comes as companies face increasing pressure to offer more healthyamid the rapid rise of GLP-1-based weight loss drugs and consumer scrutiny of ingredients.
This expands the efforts of Nestle beyond the United States, where it has already eliminated artificial coloring from its product portfolio.
“At the end of the year, the entire global range of Nestle will be free of artificial colors,” declared Stefan Palzer technology director of the firm, Reuters, in an exclusive interview at the company’s headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.
Food manufacturers and retailers have increasingly moved toward removing ingredients such as FD&C synthetic colors and sweeteners, including corn syrup, from their products.
With investors concerned that packaged food companies could lose out as consumers shift toward healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those wary of processed foods.
“It wasn’t easy,” he said. Palzer about the decision, adding that Nestle had spent years investing in the transition. “We had to do a lot of R&D work, since we have to assess all natural solutions, test them during production and then check their shelf life.
“We did it because consumers don’t like artificial ingredients. They want simpler recipes,” he said.
