General Mills says it has removed artificial colors from all U.S. cereals, including Lucky Charms and Trix.
Why it matters: The move shows how pressure from consumers, regulators and retailers is reshaping packaged foods. As a household-name cereal maker acts, rivals may face more pressure to follow.
- General Mills said Aug. 26, 2026, that all of its U.S. cereals are now made without artificial colors.
- The company named Lucky Charms and Trix among the cereals reformulated.
- The change completes a plan General Mills announced in 2025 to remove certified colors from its U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026.
- General Mills also pledged to remove certified colors from all K-12 school foods by summer 2026 and from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
General Mills said it has finished removing artificial colors from all of its U.S. cereals, a reformulation effort that includes Lucky Charms and Trix.
The company said the change completes a plan it announced in 2025 to remove certified colors from its U.S. cereal portfolio by summer 2026. General Mills had also said it would remove certified colors from all foods served in K-12 schools by the same deadline and from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.
General Mills said its school-food target was reached early in 2026, ahead of schedule. The company describes certified colors as synthetic color additives and says it is removing them as part of an effort to evolve with consumer preferences.
"This achievement reflects how we are evolving with consumer needs while continuing to offer food that tastes great, delivers quality and provides value," Bethany Quam, General Mills president of cereal, said. Jeff Harmening, chairman and CEO, said the company has "moved quickly to meet evolving consumer needs."
The move lands amid broader scrutiny of food dyes. In February 2026, the FDA announced a new approach to "no artificial colors" claims and said it would exercise enforcement discretion for certain voluntary labeling claims tied to the absence of artificial food colors. The agency's August 2026 tracker lists General Mills among companies pledging to remove certified color additives from cereals and school foods.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also said Aug. 19, 2026, that General Mills and other brands had removed synthetic dyes from cereal products served in schools ahead of the 2026 school year.
General Mills is based in Minneapolis.
By the numbers
- 100% - General Mills says its K-12 school-food portfolio now has no certified colors.
- 2027 - General Mills' stated deadline to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio.
- Summer 2026 - the company's target for removing certified colors from all U.S. cereals and K-12 school foods.
Yes, but: The dossier does not say which natural substitutes replaced the artificial colors in each cereal, or whether every U.S. cereal changed on the same date.
What's next: General Mills still plans to remove certified colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.