Target announced Friday it will cease selling breakfast cereals containing certified synthetic food colors by May 31, responding to mounting pressure from the Trump administration and the “Craft America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement. The retailer, operating nearly 2,000 stores and employing approximately 400,000 people, cited evolving consumer preferences for healthier options as the driving force behind the change.
“We know consumers are increasingly prioritizing healthier lifestyles, and we’re moving quickly to evolve our offerings to meet their needs,” said Cara Sylvester, Target’s executive vice-president and chief merchandising officer, in a released statement.
The move was lauded by food industry reform advocates who have long raised concerns about potential links between synthetic dyes and hyperactivity in children. Vani Hari, known as the “Food Babe” and a prominent figure within the MAHA movement, expressed support for the decision, noting its potential ripple effect across the food industry. Hari has also publicly supported Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
“When a major retailer like Target makes that kind of stance, it has impacts across the food industry, and it sends a signal that retailers are siding with consumers who desire less artificial ingredients,” Hari said.
The announcement arrives amid scrutiny of Kennedy’s performance on food safety issues. While initially praised for his commitment to reform, Kennedy has faced criticism for supporting a Trump executive order aimed at increasing Roundup weedkiller production – a product he previously identified as a potential carcinogen – and for appearing to backtrack on promises to regulate synthetic food dyes.
“He made a lot of promises about what he was going to do at the beginning. He is not keeping them,” said Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition and food studies at New York University.
Advocates have campaigned for decades to eliminate dyes like red 40 and yellow 5, citing studies suggesting a possible connection to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. These dyes are frequently used to enhance the visual appeal of processed foods.
Target’s announcement did not define “certified synthetic color,” but Hari clarified that it encompasses petroleum-based dyes such as red 40 and yellow 5. The change is not the result of a requirement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The FDA and Kennedy recently faced criticism for revising their initial request that food companies remove synthetic dyes by the end of 2026. New guidelines released this month allow manufacturers to label products as “no artificial colors” even if they contain dyes not derived from petroleum.
Kennedy defended the revision, stating the agency was “making it easier for companies to move away from petroleum-based synthetic colors and adopt safer, naturally derived alternatives.”
However, Thomas Galligan, principal scientist with the Center for Science in the Public Interest, expressed frustration, stating the revised guidelines effectively allow industry self-regulation. “They’re just letting industry do whatever they want,” Galligan said Friday.
At least 25 states are currently considering legislation to restrict synthetic dyes in food. West Virginia became the first state to enact a ban in March 2025, a development Scott Faber, vice-president of government affairs for the Environmental Working Group, believes influenced Target’s decision.
“No company is going to make one version of their food for the 2 million people in West Virginia and another version of their food for the rest of us,” Faber said. “Target’s announcement today is simply recognition that states are leading the way when it comes to protecting us from dangerous chemicals.”
Past instances demonstrate that companies may reverse commitments to eliminate food dyes following consumer complaints or sales declines. Jensen Jose, regulatory counsel for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, noted a lack of binding mechanisms to enforce such pledges. “Nothing is holding them to these promises,” Jose said. The federal government’s approach, she added, is limited to “just asking, ‘Pretty please, can you stop using these dyes?’”.
General Mills and Kraft Heinz have announced plans to remove artificial colors from their products sold in the U.S. Market by next year.
