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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks at a news conference at the Health and Human Services Headquarters in Washington, DC on 22 April 2025 on removing synthetic dyes from America’s food supply. Credit: Nathan Posner / Anadolu / Getty Images

The US Food and Drug Administration has unveiled measures to phase out the use of petroleum-based dyes in food and drinks by the end of next year. 

Under the plans, the FDA said it will start the process of removing its authorisation for two synthetic food colourings – Citrus Red No. 2 and Orange B – “within the coming months”. 

Six other synthetic dyes the agency allows to be used in food – FD&C Green No. 3, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 1 and FD&C Blue No. 2 – will be removed from the food supply by the end of next year, it added. 

However, US NGO Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) questioned the announcement, arguing “no rulemaking of any sort” was announced on that group of six dyes. 

US food-industry body Consumer Brands Association said the dyes are safe to be used.

Constellation Brands has offloaded more wine brands – and again US peer The Wine Group is the buyer. 

Under the terms of the deal, Constellation has sold six brands, including Woodbridge, Meiomi and Cook’s. The brands are “mostly positioned in the declining mainstream segment”, the group said. It added the deal is “expected to generate circa $900m in proceeds” in its new financial year. 

The sale is Constellation’s latest move to reshape its range to pricier products. Three years ago, the group sold a clutch of wine brands including Cooper & Thief, 7 Moons and The Dreaming Tree brands to The Wine Group. 

The Wine Group said the latest deal “will bring the company several popular, premium and ultra-premium brands, additional on-premise volume, an expanded retail presence [and] new in-house operational capabilities”.

The European Commission has carried out “anti-trust inspections” at unnamed companies in the non-alcoholic drinks sector. 

Brussels said the unannounced visits came amid its concerns the unnamed companies may have broken EU rules. 

A statement announcing the inspections did not detail the location, number or identity of the businesses. 

A spokesperson for the European Commission said the EU’s executive arm could not comment further “as per usual practice” and pointed Just Drinks to its statement. 

In the announcement, the Commission said it “has concerns that the companies concerned may have violated EU anti-trust rules that prohibit cartels and restrictive practices, and abuses of a dominant position”.

Nestlé is embarking on an internal audit of its water production in France, the group’s CEO Laurent Freixe has said.

The Vittel producer has had its water production under scrutiny since January last year, when it admitted to breaching regulations in France over the way it treats bottled mineral water against contamination. 

Speaking to the Senate in a hearing on 9 April, Freixe said: “[…] The group has decided to launch an internal review in France of these past practices: we are conducting this review, to which the Nestlé Waters teams will contribute. In my view, this review is essential if we are to learn all the lessons we need to, and I will draw all the necessary conclusions from it.” 

Last year, Nestlé confirmed its waters business had used different purification treatments on products labelled as “mineral water”, including those sold under brands such as Perrier and Vittel, which are produced at its Vergèze and Vosges facilities in France.

Molson Coors Beverage Co. president and CEO Gavin Hattersley plans to leave the US beer major by the end of the year. 

Hattersley, who has led the Carling brewer since 2019, will leave both the business and its board by 31 December. 

Molson Coors said it was considering internal and external applicants for the post. 

Under Hattersley, the group has looked to broaden the range of drinks it owns and reshaped its existing beer business. 

Molson Coors ventured into categories including hard seltzers, spirits and energy drinks. Earlier this year, the company bought a minority stake in UK mixers and tonics business Fevertree.

Last year, meanwhile, saw Molson Coors sell four US breweries to Tilray Brands and close two others in Wisconsin.