VEVEY, Switzerland, - Nestle plans to remove artificial food colourings from all products worldwide by the end of 2026, a senior executive told Reuters on Tuesday, making it the first major food company to take such a step.

The previously unreported target comes as food companies face mounting pressure to ‌offer healthier products ⁠amid ⁠the rapid rise of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and growing consumer scrutiny of food ingredients.

It ​extends Nestle's efforts beyond the United States, where it has already eliminated artificial ​colourings from its portfolio.

"By the end of the year we will have the global Nestle portfolio free of artificial colours," Stefan Palzer, Nestle's technology ​chief, told Reuters in an exclusive interview ⁠at the firm's ‌Swiss headquarters in Vevey.

Food manufacturers and retailers ​have increasingly ​moved to strip out ingredients such as FD&C synthetic ⁠dyes and sweeteners including corn syrup from their products.

Amid ​investor concerns that packaged food companies could lose out ​as consumers shift towards healthier diets, Nestle has increasingly focused on products aimed at weight-conscious consumers and those concerned about processed foods.

"It was not a slam-dunk," Palzer said of the decision, adding that Nestle had spent years investing in the transition.

"We had to ‌do a lot of R&D work because you have to screen all the natural solutions then you have ​to test ​those natural solutions during ⁠production, and then also test their shelf-life."

"We did it because consumers don't appreciate artificial ingredients. They want simpler recipes."

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy ​Jr and the Food and Drug Administration said in April last year that the agency aims to remove ingredients including artificial food colourings, citing concerns over possible links to conditions such as ADHD, obesity and diabetes, although many scientists say more research is needed.