Lay’s And Doritos Are Getting A Clean Makeover—No Artificial Dyes or Flavors
In PepsiCo’s Second Quarter 2025 Earnings report, the company announced several innovations it plans to enact, in an effort to reduce the use of artificial colors and flavors in its most popular snacks. The brands that will receive a dye-free revamp include Lays, Tostitos, Cheetos, and Doritos.
Lay’s and Tostitos will be completely reformulated to exclude artificial colors and flavors, but for Cheetos and Doritos, a new dye-free version will be launched alongside the original flavors. According to the report, the new Lay’s and Tostitos will be introduced by the end of 2025, with Cheetos and Doritos to follow.
Additionally, PepsiCo plans to expand the use of avocado and olive oil across all of its brands and enhance products that contain protein, fiber, and whole grains. The company is also removing all artificial colors from its K-12 (education channel) foods for the upcoming school season.
The removal of artificial flavors follows efforts by the Trump Administration to overhaul America’s dietary guidelines via its “Make America Healthy Again” campaign, spearheaded by the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, who’s stirring up controversy with his bullish approach. Some changes have been long overdue, like the FDA’s ban on red dye no. 3. Others not so much, like the recent rumor that RFK’s latest guideline will promote eating more saturated fats.
Suffice it to say, health experts aren’t too happy. Wherever you stand on the issue, both major food manufacturers and fast food chains have begun removing artificial dyes, which, maybe we all can agree, is one positive takeaway.
