Overview

• Ken Paxton has issued a civil investigative demand seeking Mars’s records in a probe of deceptive trade practices over synthetic dyes in its domestic candy lines.
• Paxton’s office claims Mars fulfilled its 2016 pledge by removing artificial colors in Europe but continued using them in U.S. products including M&M’s and Skittles.
• Health officials link synthetic food dyes to ADHD, autism and cancer, fueling federal and state efforts to regulate or ban these additives.
• The FDA plans to ban Red Dye No. 3 starting January 2027, and companies such as Hershey, Nestlé and General Mills have committed to phasing out artificial colors by 2028 or sooner.
• Mars argues that its colorants pose no known health risks and that consumer preferences vary by market, justifying its decision to keep dyes in U.S. offerings.