First On Fox: Red State Investigating M&ms And Skittles Manufacturer For ‘deceptive’ Practices

Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is launching an investigation into M&Ms and Skittles shaper Mars for alleged "deceptive and forbidden practices" regarding nan company’s usage of artificial dyes successful its candies.

In a connection sent to Fox News Digital, Paxton’s agency tied nan investigation to nan lawyer general’s effort to beryllium a "nationwide leader successful fighting alongside" Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and President Donald Trump’s Make America Healthy Again initiative to "help Americans get healthier by holding accountable large nutrient companies who break nan rule and deceive consumers astir their ingredients."

Paxton’s agency is asserting that Mars’ alleged misrepresentation of artificial dyes successful immoderate of its candies, including M&Ms and Skittles, constitutes deceptive waste and acquisition practices that tally afoul of Texas consumers’ rights.

The lawyer wide further pointed retired that while Mars continues to usage artificial colors successful its products successful nan U.S., it has stopped doing truthful successful Europe.

AMERICA'S DAIRY FARMERS AND ICE CREAM PRODUCERS AGREE TO QUIT USING ARTIFICIAL COLORS

Left: Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Right: Skittles (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan and Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

In 2016, Mars committed to removing each artificial colors from each its quality nutrient products, which astatine nan clip it said was "part of a committedness to meet evolving user preferences."

The institution said that though it believed "artificial colors airs nary known risks to quality wellness aliases safety," it was making nan alteration because "consumers coming are calling connected nutrient manufacturers to usage much earthy ingredients successful their products."

Mars said that "against this backdrop, Mars will activity intimately pinch its suppliers to find alternatives that not only meet its strict value and information standards, but besides support nan vibrant, nosy colors consumers person travel to expect from nan company's beloved brands."

In a later update, however, Mars said it had recovered that "many of our consumers crossed nan world do not, successful fact, find artificial colors to beryllium ingredients of concern" and "for that reason, we will proceed to prioritize our efforts to region artificial colors successful Europe — wherever consumers person expressed this penchant — but will not beryllium removing each artificial colors from our Mars Snacking portfolio successful different markets."

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Mars has claimed that "artificial colors airs nary known risks to quality wellness aliases safety." (Getty Images)

In Paxton’s statement, his agency said that "Mars besides falsely claimed that ‘artificial colors airs nary known risks to quality wellness aliases safety,’ which could not beryllium further from nan truth arsenic these dyes person been linked to a number of antagonistic wellness outcomes, including Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), autism, and moreover cancer."

The connection said that Paxton has issued a Civil Investigative Demand to get documents from Mars arsenic portion of nan investigation. 

"Mars must region toxic artificial dyes from its U.S. nutrient products not only to grant its nationalist committedness and guarantee that it stays connected nan correct broadside of nan law, but besides because it’s nan correct point to do," Paxton said successful a connection sent to Fox News Digital.  

"It’s clear that nan activity to region artificial colorings from our nutrient proviso is making unthinkable progress, and it’s clip for Mars to travel nan lead of different companies for illustration Nestle and Hershey by removing synthetic dyes from its products," he went on, adding, "For nan wellness of Texans and each Americans, Mars must fulfill its 2016 promise to get free of these toxic ingredients."

WHITE HOUSE RESPONDS TO REPORTS OF MARS INC PUSHING BACK ON ELIMINATING FOOD DYES

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a news convention connected nan Autism study by nan CDC astatine nan Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium successful Washington, Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

White House Senior Advisor connected Make America Healthy Again Calley Means has slammed Mars for refusing to region artificial colors from its products, saying, "this is commonsense" and "these are petroleum-based dyes that person nary nutritional value." 

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This follows Paxton launching a akin investigation into General Mills, aft which nan institution committed to removing artificial dyes from its products. The Texas lawyer wide has besides targeted Kellogg’s for allegedly violating nan state’s user protection laws by claiming to person removed dyes successful its foods.

Paxton is presently moving to unseat Republican Sen. John Cornyn. Last week, Paxton's woman of 38-years, Texas authorities Sen. Angela Paxton, announced that she had filed for divorce connected "biblical grounds."

Fox News Digital reached retired to Mars for comment.