On Friday, Target, one of the nation's largest big box retailers which garnered $107 billion in net sales in 2024 and has almost 2,000 retail locations, announced that it will stop selling cereals containing certified synthetic colors by the end of May 2026, becoming one of the first major national chains to impose such a requirement across its entire cereal assortment, including national brands and its own private labels. The decision comes before that ban becomes law.

"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. 

"Our new cereal assortment made without certified synthetic colors makes it easier for busy families to make choices they feel good about, and shows what it means to curate a great assortment and lead with merchandising authority."

Market pressure versus regulatory pressure: Writing on the wall

Smaller retailers typically have not had leverage to dictate manufacturers' ingredients, until the MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) movement led by HHS (Health and Human Services) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy emboldened such changes. 

For manufacturers, the regulatory threat, or pressure, is typically greater than market pressure. However, because these new regulations and requirements are downstream of the MAHA movement's tremendous cultural impact, the market is having a formidable impact on what food manufacturers put in their products. 

Target's accelerated timeline underscores retailers' role in driving faster change, as the company emphasized its commitment to evolving offerings to support healthier lifestyles, according to chief merchandising officer Sylvester. 

Brands that do not reformulate in time will no longer be carried at Target. The policy, which applies to products sold both in stores and online, follows years of gradual phasing out of artificial dyes, with nearly 85% of Target's current cereal sales already coming from dye-free options. 

The Minneapolis-based retailer said it has collaborated with suppliers to reformulate products as needed, responding to growing consumer demand for foods without petroleum-based additives like Red Dye No. 40, Yellow No. 5 and No. 6, and Blue No. 1.

The move aligns with broader industry shifts amid heightened scrutiny of synthetic food dyes, which some studies have linked to behavioral concerns in children. 

Manufacturers taking the hint ahead of time

General Mills, a major cereal maker, has pledged to eliminate artificial dyes from all its U.S. cereals by summer 2026, while WK Kellogg has targeted the end of 2027 for its lineup, including popular dye-containing brands like Froot Loops and Apple Jacks. 

The partnership between President Donald Trump and Kennedy blossomed with Kennedy's endorsement of Trump before the 2024 election, and the MAHA initiative continues to be popular amongst a majority of Americans. 

A Rosetta Stone poll conducted February 20 found that 59.1% of Americans support the MAHA agenda. Under the MAHA umbrella, support for ending COVID-19 vaccine manufacturer immunity sits at 51.4%. 50.8% of those polled approve of reducing the CDC childhood vaccine schedule. 45.8% support reducing mandatory childhood vaccines versus 39.2% who are against it.