General Mills Has Officially Removed All Artificial Dyes From Its Cereals Across the U.S.
The brand is slated to remove all certified colors across its U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
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Think back to the last time you strolled down the cereal aisle at the grocery store. You probably saw General Mills cereals line the shelves, including my favorites, Trix and Lucky Charms. Yes, even as an adult, I'm still a sucker for a solid sugary cereal every now and again. That said, I've been trying to reduce the amount of artificial colors in my diet — and now I can look forward to General Mills, as the brand has hopped on board.
As of August, General Mills has removed certified colors across 90 percent of its lineup with the goal of removing them entirely from the full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027. This update comes after the brand removed certified colors from all K-12 school foods back in March.
“As the leader in cereal, General Mills is focused on giving people what they are looking for from the brands they know and love,” Bethany Quam, president of Big G Cereal at General Mills, says in a press release. “This achievement reflects how we are evolving with consumer needs while continuing to offer food that tastes great, delivers quality and provides value.”
Do General Mills products contain artificial colors?
Instead of using artificial colors, General Mills has shifted to fruit-and-vegetable-based dyes alongside colors derived from spices like turmeric and paprika across a majority of its offerings to produce their signature bright colors.
As of August, General Mills has made the pivot across 90 percent of its U.S. portfolio so far, including all U.S. cereals. It plans to completely remove them from U.S. retail products by the end of 2027.
In fact, General Mills signed an agreement last summer with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton saying it would remove synthetic dyes from all of its products by the end of next year, and the brand seems on track to stick true to its word.
Some products that still contain artificial colors include Betty Crocker cake mixes and Fruit Roll-Ups. However, these are slated to transition to natural dyes by the end of 2027.
Why did General Mills remove artificial colors?
General Mills removed certified colors from its U.S. lineup after listening to feedback and evolving with what customers are intersted in, according to the brand.
A March 2026 Consumer Reports survey noted that 72% of U.S. adults are at least somewhat concerned about synthetic dyes in food, while 66% believed companies should be required to phase them out.
Competitor Kellogg is also phasing artificial dyes out of its cereals. Other brands including JELL-O, Takis, M&Ms, Doritos and Cheetos have released products made with natural dyes as well.
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