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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to phase out Red Dye 3, a synthetic ingredient that gives food and beverages a vibrant red color, already appears to be altering consumer behavior: They’re buying less of the stuff.
The FDA now plans to eliminate eight more dyes: Blue Dye 1, Blue Dye 2, Green Dye 3, Yellow Dye 5, Yellow Dye 6, Red Dye 40, Citrus Red 2, and Orange B. The move is bound to put even more pressure on major manufacturers, such as PepsiCo and General Mills, to come up with innovative formulations.
Figures from NielsenIQ (NIQ), a consumer intelligence firm, show sales of products containing Red Dye 3 have declined in past years, but took a sharp tumble in January following the FDA’s declaration to remove the additive from the nation’s food supply.
