President’s Choice vows to kick the artificial colour and flavour habit

Loblaws has a new enemy and no, it’s not Metro or Sobey’s (those are old enemies): the supermarket conglomerate is now banishing artificial colours and flavours from its President’s Choice products. The move is in response to more consumers clamouring for natural goods in the wake of concerns about dyes and colouring leading to hyperactivity in children and even some types of cancer—or perhaps it’s an attempt to muscle in on the granola-happy customer base of places like Whole Foods. In terms of roll out, all artificial colours in the PC line (which includes Blue Menu, Organics and Green products) will be removed by the end of the year, and the flavours should follow suit by the end of 2013. Sure, there are reasons for skepticism about the health claims associated with “natural” colours and flavours, but as long as this move does nothing to change the taste of their Decadent chocolate chip cookies (whose chocolate chips do contain artificial flavour), we’re not complaining. Read the entire story [Globe and Mail] »