ALDI bans harmful food colourings

On 10 June 2009, ALDI announced the reformulation of all its exclusive branded food items to remove the six food colours which have been proven to cause hyperactivity in children. This process will be completed by the end of 2009.


For media enquiries, please contact Libby Hay on (03) 8631 1416 .

18 June 2009

"This is great news about ALDI removing artificial food colours and I also hope nasty preservatives. I am very pleased to hear that ALDI is leading the way here in Australia.
As a Mum of a child with food intolerance this will give me increased confidence to shop at ALDI." - Jeanie

13 June 2009

"I just received a copy of your media release dated 10/7/09 and want to thank Aldi for this huge step.
You certainly have my business." - Kathy

12 June 2009

ALDI bans food colourings - Courier Mail
The six artificial colours—tartrazine (102), quinoline yellow (104), sunset yellow (110), carmoisine (122), ponceau 4R (124) and allura red (129)—raised alarm after a medical study linked them to more boisterous behaviour and a loss of concentration in some children.

Open Letter to FSANZ - Kids First Campaign

"I would like to give you a massive thankyou on behalf of my children. We do alot of our shopping at Aldi (in fact we travel 2 hours to get to our closest Aldi store), but unfortunately since we found out it was certain food additives that were causing reactions in our children we have had to do buy more of our products from other shops. We are really looking forward to this change Aldi are making, and you have proven yet again how much better Aldi is. We will have even more good things to say about Aldi to others now.
WELL DONE!!!!!" - Kristy

"I just read your media release with great interest and excitement! As the mother of 2 girls that suffer badly with the effects of food colourings and additives I applaud Aldi's pro-active response to it in removing them from your food! I will be telling all my friends and I know many of them will be thrilled as well.
Good on you for giving our kids a better chance at avoiding the unsuspected nasties in their food." - Sharon

11 June 2009

ALDI wipes food colouring items - Channel Nine News
ALDI supermarkets have banned certain food additives and colourings following concerns from parents for children.

ALDI bans food colourings linked to ADHD - ABC News
The budget supermarket ALDI has banned six food colourings from its products following research in Britain that the additives have been linked to behavioural problems in children.

Supermarket bans suspect food colourings - Sydney Morning Herald
ALDI has become the first Australian grocery retailer to institute a voluntary ban on six red and yellow food additives linked to behavioural abnormalities in children.

"Congratulation Aldi,
I have never shopped with you before, even though there is a store in easy proximity, but on the basis of this initiative I will be swapping right over.
Thank you for not waiting for the legislators to catch up, quality of food is such an important issue to our household." - Karen

"As a Mum of kids who react noticeably to artificial colours, I would just like to say thank-you to Aldi for its decision to lead the way in this important area. I can only hope that it will encourage other companies to follow suit. It will definitely encourage us to start shopping at Aldi." - Bronwyn

"Congratulations on the above move ... hopefully it will be well received enough by consumers for Aldi to consider introducing the same labels for artificial preservatives, flavours and flavour-enhancers!
It means that I can shop even faster and clear the aisles for other consumers to shop at Aldi!"- Karen

"I would like to congratulate Aldi for taking the initiative to remove suspect food colours from their products.
As a family we choose to only purchase products which have natural ingredients and consume as minimal additives as possible. We applaud Aldi in this step towards removing some of the ‘interference’ in our foods. Please pass on to the appropriate persons. Thanks"
- Sarah and Julian Aitken
Anna (8yrs, highly sensitive to artificial additives) and Grace (6yrs, asthmatic attacks in response to certain additives)

"I am a mother of 2 young boys aged 6 and 8. My 6 year old is sensitive to preservatives, artificial colours and flavors. I applauded you on the latest media release from Aldi. Lets hope Woolworth's, Coles and IGA get on board with you." - Dannealle

"Congratulations on removing some food colours from your products. This is great news. We have been trying to remove these and other food additives from our families diet and it is not easy.
I really like shopping at Aldi although there is no store close to me but this would make me travel to Aldi if I knew that the food was better than the alternatives. I hope that Aldi can go further and remove some of the other additives that may also affect humans adversely." - Jenny

10 June 2009

ALDI Action on Additives - Kids First Campaign