Toxic No More? General Mills Joins Corporate Exodus From Synthetic Food Dyes—But Don’t Trust the Motive

General Mills Falls in Line General Mills just announced it will remove synthetic food dyes from its products, starting with its iconic cereals and school food offerings by summer 2026, followed by its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027. While this may sound like a win for public health—and to some degree, it is—it’s also a textbook example of how corporate giants react to political pressure and regulatory overreach, not consumer advocacy. Make no mistake: this decision comes on the heels of government directives, not corporate conscience. The Minnesota-based conglomerate, home to household brands like Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, and Häagen-Dazs, confirmed in a June 17 statement that 85% of its current U.S. retail products already exclude…