/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178283253965236954.webp)
What is the story about?
Nestle plans to remove artificial food colourings from all its products worldwide by the end of 2026, becoming the first major food company to take such a step, a senior executive told Reuters.
The move comes as food companies face growing pressure to offer healthier products amid the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and increasing consumer scrutiny of food ingredients.
The target expands Nestle's efforts beyond the United States, where the company 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 company's headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.
Food manufacturers and retailers have increasingly moved to remove ingredients such as FD&C synthetic dyes and sweeteners, including corn syrup, from their products.
Amid investor concerns that packaged food companies could lose market share as consumers shift towards healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those seeking less processed foods.
"It was not a slam-dunk," Palzer said, adding that the company 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 test those natural solutions during production, and also test their shelf life," he said.
"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.
The move comes as food companies face growing pressure to offer healthier products amid the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and increasing consumer scrutiny of food ingredients.
The target expands Nestle's efforts beyond the United States, where the company 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 company's headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland.
Food manufacturers and retailers have increasingly moved to remove ingredients such as FD&C synthetic dyes and sweeteners, including corn syrup, from their products.
Amid investor concerns that packaged food companies could lose market share as consumers shift towards healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those seeking less processed foods.
"It was not a slam-dunk," Palzer said, adding that the company 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 test those natural solutions during production, and also test their shelf life," he said.
"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.
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178279503147634330.webp)
/images/ppid_59c68470-image-178270755418196252.webp)
