A water-soluble polyvinylpyrridinium derivative containing a quaternary nitrogen and an anionic moiety selected from a sulfonate and/or a carboxylate functionality, said polyvinylpyrridinium derivative having the structure wherein a is a repeating unit of 1 to 100; b is a repeating unit of 0 to 99; c is a repeating unit of 0 to 99; d is a repeating unit of 0 1 to 99; R is selected from the group consisting of (CR1R2)m1, benzene, and substituted benzene; Y is selected from the group consisting of (CR3R4)m2, benzene, and substituted benzene; substituted benzene is independently a benzene substituted with a group selected from the group consisting of amino moeity moiety, nitro moiety, halogen moiety, and combinations thereof; Z is derived from an ethylenically unsaturated monomer; m1 and m2 are independently 0 to 10; M+ is independently a cation wherein M is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, ammonia, alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, zinc, copper, organic amines, amino acids, and amino saccharides; R1, R2, R3, and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydroxyl, alkyl having C1 to C6, aryl having C6 to C18, and alkaryl having C7 to C18; and X− is independently a halide, with the proviso that if Y is benzene or substituted benzene then a is 0 to 99 and b is 1 to 100. The polyvinylpyrridinium derivatives inhibit dye transfer in detergent compositions having a high level of anionic surfactants without adversely affecting stain or soil removal or soil redeposition.