USA | Walmart U.S. has announced its move to eliminate synthetic dyes and the use of an additional 30 ingredients, including certain preservatives, artificial sweeteners and fat substitutes from its private brand food products.
This action is a significant step forward in its ongoing mission to provide customers with affordable, high-quality private brand products.
The change, which includes all Walmart U.S. food private brands such as Great Value, Marketside, Freshness Guaranteed, and bettergoods, is in line with evolving customer preferences and supports a more transparent food system.
“Our customers have told us that they want products made with simpler, more familiar ingredients and we’ve listened. By eliminating synthetic dyes and other ingredients, we’re reinforcing our promise to deliver affordable food that families can feel good about," said John Furner, President and CEO, Walmart U.S.
The move is part of Walmart’s journey to evolve its private brands in response to shifting customer preferences.
According to a new survey, Walmart customers are increasingly more interested in what’s in their food, with sixty-two percent of customers saying they want more transparency and fifty-four percent saying they review food ingredients.
This growing trend among customers is in part why, last year, the retailer launched bettergoods, a quality, chef-inspired private brand that includes a line of plant-based and “made without” items, with 70 percent of the items priced under USD 5.
While this move is one of the largest private brand reformulations in retail history, it isn’t the first time Walmart has removed ingredients customers don’t want. Today, approximately 90 percent of Walmart's U.S. private brand food products are free from synthetic dyes.
“This commitment demonstrates how Walmart is responding to changing customer preferences, while also setting the standard for providing exceptional quality and innovation at an outstanding value."
The retailer is collaborating with private brand suppliers to refine formulations and source alternative ingredients, while maintaining the same great taste customers have come to expect.
Walmart customers will begin to see the reformulated products roll out over the coming months, with longer lead time changes planned to be completed by January 2027 at the latest.
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