(Reuters) -General Mills said on Tuesday it would remove artificial colors from its full U.S. retail portfolio by the end of 2027.

The Cheerios maker also said it would remove synthetic dyes from all its U.S. cereals and foods served in K-12 schools by summer 2026.

General Mills added the change will impact only a small portion of the K-12 school portfolio, as nearly all of its school offerings are made without certified colors while 85% of the U.S. retail portfolio is made without artificial colors.

This move comes a few months after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. laid out plans to remove synthetic food dyes from the U.S. food supply to address chronic diseases and conditions such as obesity among Americans.

Earlier on Tuesday, Kraft Heinz said it would not launch products with artificial colors in the United States effective immediately, and would aim to eliminate synthetic dyes from existing items by the end of 2027.

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(Reporting by Ananya Mariam Rajesh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)