Governor Greg Abbott signs Senate Bill 25, setting new labelling requirements for artificial ingredients not permitted in the EU, UK, Canada, or Australia

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Bill 25, a landmark piece of legislation that will require packaged food and beverages sold in the state to display warning labels if they contain certain artificial ingredients restricted or banned in other major markets.

The bill—dubbed the ‘Make Texas Healthy Again Act’—was signed into law on June 22, 2025, following unanimous approval in the state senate earlier this month. The measure is backed by U.S. health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose broader campaign seeks to address chronic disease through dietary reform and ingredient transparency.

Labelling Requirements Target 44 Ingredients Banned Abroad

Once the new rules take effect in 2026, manufacturers selling products in Texas will be required to include a label stating:

“WARNING: This product contains an ingredient that is not recommended for human consumption by the appropriate authority in Australia, Canada, the European Union, or the United Kingdom.”

The regulation applies to 44 additives, including a range of artificial colours, preservatives, bleached and bromated flours, and other synthetic compounds still permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but restricted in other countries.

The move reflects mounting scrutiny of artificial ingredients in the U.S. food supply, particularly petroleum-derived dyes and chemical preservatives linked to hyperactivity in children and other potential health risks.

Regulatory Context and Industry Impact

The Texas legislation follows recent federal actions tightening oversight of synthetic additives. Earlier this year, the FDA banned Red Dye No. 3 after studies linked the colourant to cancer in laboratory rats. In April, the agency announced long-term plans to phase out all petroleum-based dyes from the U.S. food system, with new natural alternatives approved in May to support reformulation efforts.

While Senate Bill 25 is a state-level initiative, analysts expect its impact to extend nationwide. With major brands such as Doritos, Skittles, and Gatorade among those affected, many manufacturers are likely to standardise labelling and formulations across markets to avoid supply chain complexity.

“Even though this law is state-specific, it could act as a de facto national standard,” said one industry consultant. “No major brand wants two separate supply chains—one for Texas and one for the rest of the country.”

A Shift Toward Ingredient Transparency

Governor Abbott, who signed more than 1,150 bills into law alongside this measure, said the legislative session delivered “results that will benefit Texans for generations to come.”

For the food and beverage sector, the Texas labelling mandate underscores a growing shift in the U.S. regulatory environment toward ingredient transparency and consumer health protection, echoing trends long established in Europe.

As implementation approaches, manufacturers will face reformulation challenges, packaging redesign costs, and new compliance demands—but also opportunities to align with consumer expectations for cleaner, more natural products.