Kellogg's sweet dilemma

One of the major problems facing the cereal industry today is the perception that many breakfast cereals contain far too much processed sugar. This has irritated health professionals, concerned parents, and nutrition conscious people in general who are increasingly turning to other morning food options. For years the big companies have been feeling the heat, and in response have modified their recipes to utilize less sugar, salt, and artificial ingredients; and, in turn, increase the use of fiber-rich whole grains.

Yet, despite the efforts of Kellogg, General Mills, and others to reduce sugar, the transition to more healthful cereals is not at all simple. Kellogg discovered this recently when they announced radical changes for cereals that are targeted to children in the United Kingdom. For example, they stated that Coco Pops will see a 40% reduction in sugar, and 20% less in Rice Krispies. Ricicles (called Frosted Rice Krispies in the U.S.) will be discontinued altogether. Frosties (Frosted Flakes in North America) will not be changed, however, will no longer be marketed to children.

On the surface, this all sounds good, but there is much more to the story here. First, it is important to note that Kellogg UK is really late to the game. We have known for quite some time that despite the reformulations that have taken place in the U.S., this was not happening to the same degree in Great Britain. Cereals there have generally contained 30% more sugar than their U.S. counterparts. So, across the pond they have been resisting this change, but obviously realize that they can no longer do so. These latest moves are nutritionally sound, but do demonstrate that companies like Kellogg are not as committed to nutrition as they would like you to believe. Ultimately, instead of doing the right thing, they wait as long as possible until there is enough pressure forcing them to do so.

The reason for this reluctance is the fact that even though many want them to change, there is a large group of consumers who do not want their beloved cereals to be tampered with. In Britain, for example, there has been an outcry from those who do not want Ricicles to leave the market. Companies understand this, as was seen in the recent move by General Mills to go back to their less healthy, artificially-enhanced Trix formula. Even Kellogg UK recognizes this, as it is unwilling to meddle with Frosties, one of their best-sellers. This means making compromises, even as some critics call them out for their hypocrisy, believing that claims to no longer target children are ineffective and hypocritical.

In other words, reducing sugar and otherwise making popular cereal brands healthier is not as easy as it appears. Cereal companies are feeling lots of pressure from all sides, and realize that finding the right balance is difficult in a challenging market.