Candy labels continue ditching artificial colors

When a new product wants to emphasize its color, the shade on the label could be an important part of the branding. Mars, in particular, is working on a comprehensive effort that will impact many of its products, expanding on a previous trend established by Nestle. While this reflects a growing consumer interest in clean, organic ingredients, the shift also necessitates some considerations of how the future candy packaging will look.

Confectioners should think about the relationship between the contents of a package and the coloring of the candy, since it’s not always exactly the same. M&M’s, for example, come in a variety of colors but often have only a single dominant shade on the wrapper. In contrast, many consumers are familiar with the bright pink of bubble gum – a staple of both the product itself and its packaging.

The move to natural candy colors may require packaging changes from manufacturers.

As Candy Industry notes, Mars’ full effort to remove artificial colors from its products will take years, ending in 2021. The source quotes Joni Stern of Stern Ingredients, who specifically references the labeling and packaging problems that come from embracing organic ingredients.

“What happens when these companies announce these things, the clock starts ticking in the R&D office,” Stern said. “Which means they have to basically get samples in of natural colors… and then they have to make samples up, and they have to go for shelf life testing, so the whole process can easily take a year or more.” She also said that the resulting food colors are not going to be “as vibrant.”

This move is, crucially, a voluntary one meant to enforce user trust, not a reaction to any negative qualities in traditional food coloring. As such, companies should invest in a printer with a wide palette for distinct food and beverage labels. The Primera LX900 offers multiple types of graphics in colors that send a strong message to possible buyers.