Skittles, M&M's more candy options free of synthetic dyes coming in 2026

Starting next year, Skittles, M&M's, Starburst and Extra Gum will be available free of artificial colors to consumers nationwide.

Mars Wrigley North America announced last month that products across four categories of its popular treats -- gum, fruity confections and chocolate candy -- will be made "without Food, Drug & Cosmetic (FD&C) colors" starting in 2026.

The first brands to be available without without FD&C colors will include M&M's Chocolate, Skittles Original, Extra Gum Spearmint and Starburst Original fruit chews, the company said.

News of the candy maker's move away from synthetic color additives was first announced on July 24, as reported by Bloomberg.

"Mars Wrigley North America has been on an innovation journey over the past few years, dedicated to bringing products that provide consumers delicious choices when they treat," the company said in a press release. "In the United States, we are engaged closely with regulators and aware of the increased dialogue and activity regarding colors. All our products meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world, including the FDA."

Anton Vincent, president of Mars Wrigley North America, added that the company's approach "is always consumer-focused and science-led."

Mars Wrigley said its experts "are exploring alternatives that satisfy scientific safety criteria, technical requirements and consumer preferences." Once the company has identified a "fully effective, scalable solution," it will share updates on timing and specific product commitments, it said.

The move makes Mars Wrigley an early entrant to a growing list of major consumer product goods companies offering a choice of naturally colored products.

The change comes amid a push from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to crack down on synthetic food additives as part of his initiative to "Make America Healthy Again." Among those efforts are proposals to phase out artificial food dyes in favor of natural alternatives.

In June, Kraft Heinz and General Mills announced plans to remove artificial food dyes from some products within the next two years. Several other large food manufacturers -- including PepsiCo, ConAgra, The Hershey Company, McCormick & Co., J.M. Smucker, Nestlé USA and more -- have announced similar plans in recent months.

As of May, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved three additional color additives from natural sources that are in line with the Department of Health and Human Services' goals, which can be used in a wide range of products from gum to breakfast cereal.

"For too long, our food system has relied on synthetic, petroleum-based dyes that offer no nutritional value and pose unnecessary health risks. We're removing these dyes and approving safe, natural alternatives -- to protect families and support healthier choices," Kennedy said in a statement at the time.

Multiple states have also passed legislation to eliminate food dyes from school lunch programs.