THE two big supermarket chains will continue to sell food with artificial colours, even though Aldi will remove all products with the additives from its shelves as of Thursday.

The removal of artificial colours, including six linked to hyperactivity in children, from foods is the latest development in the supermarket wars.

Putting parents at ease ... from Thursday, food bought from Aldi will be free of artificial colours.

A spokeswoman for Woolworths, Clare Buchanan, said while it had removed artificial colours and flavours from its own-brand foods it did not have the right to ask other brands to remove them.

''We have control over our own products. But as we are an agent selling other people's brands it is their responsibility to make decisions for them,'' she said.