Nestle plans to remove artificial food colourings from all products worldwide by the end of 2026, a senior executive has said, making it the first major food company to take such a step.
The previously unreported target comes as food companies face mounting pressure to offer healthier products amid the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and growing consumer scrutiny of food ingredients.
It extends Nestle’s efforts beyond the United States, where it has already eliminated artificial colourings from its portfolio.
“By the end of the year we will have the global Nestle portfolio free of artificial colours,” Stefan Palzer, Nestle’s technology chief, told Reuters in an exclusive interview at the firm’s Swiss headquarters in Vevey.
Food manufacturers and retailers have increasingly moved to strip out ingredients such as FD&C synthetic dyes and sweeteners including corn syrup from their products.
Amid investor concerns that packaged food companies could lose out as consumers shift towards healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those concerned about processed foods.
“It was not a slam-dunk,” Palzer said of the decision, adding that Nestle had spent years investing in the transition.
“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.”
“We did it because consumers don’t appreciate artificial ingredients. They want simpler recipes.”
US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and the Food and Drug Administration said in April last year that the agency aims to remove ingredients including artificial food colourings, citing concerns over possible links to conditions such as ADHD, obesity and diabetes, although many scientists say more research is needed.
Infant formula crisis
Separately, Nestle has accepted that some parents will not return to buying the company’s infant formula products following a widespread recall that began late last year, the company’s head of nutrition, Serena Aboutboul, said.
Nestle recalled products across Europe, Asia and the Americas over possible contamination with cereulide, a toxin that can cause nausea and vomiting. Aboutboul noted that the company had lost market share and said it would be a while before sales return to pre-recall levels.
The infant formula crisis posed a serious challenge to CEO Philipp Navratil, who made a video apology to consumers just a few months into his tenure.
Nestle has not got back to pre-recall market share levels, Aboutboul said, and the company understands that regaining consumer trust in such a sensitive category will take time.
“When you have unrest from parents, they will not … come back. We know that,” Aboutboul said.
Nestle has been in “recovery mode”, Aboutboul said, but is confident of regaining market share and is working with paediatricians and healthcare professionals for recommendations and to win back consumers.
