AP Photo
Reuters | Kellogg Co. has agreed to drop advertising claims that
Rice Krispies will strengthen children’s immune systems, the Federal
Trade Commission said Thursday.
Kellogg had agreed in February 2009 to stop claiming that its Frosted
Mini Wheats were “clinically shown to improve kids’ attentiveness by
nearly 20 percent.”
In an advertising campaign that began around July 2009, Kellogg began advertising on cereal boxes that Rice Krispies “now helps support your child’s immunity.”
“What is particularly disconcerting to us is that at the same time that Kellogg was making promises to the commission regarding Frosted Mini-Wheats, the company was preparing to make problematic claims about Rice Krispies,” FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz and Commissioner Julie Brill wrote in a statement.
Kellogg had 2009 sales of nearly $13 billion in 180 countries worldwide. Its products include cereals, cookies, crackers, toaster pastries and cereal bars.
Kellogg’s brands include Keebler, Nutri-Grain, Morningstar Farms, Famous Amos, Special K, All-Bran, Club and Kashi.
A company representative could not immediately be reached for comment.
C’mon, those cereals were claiming ‘healthy for you’ and people believed it? Nope, they’re just plain ol’ Rice Krispie Treat stuff, aka comforting snack food that you should eat only 6 times a year.
It’s the concept of breakfast that is healthy, NOT cereal. First they advertised sugar in the 50s…which changed to honey in the 80s…which changed to low cholesterol in the 90s…which changed to fiber in the 00s…and now the darling term is “whole grain” along with the fiber. All a bunch of baloney invented by food industry copywriters…the cereal has essentially remained the same product throughout. And as a breakfast food, it’s healthy as long as it is supplemented with fruit and milk. It will be interesting to see if Kashi cereals remains on the same health message kick, since they are Kellog-owned.
Rice Crispies would be a healthy breakfast if they would make them with brown rice! White rice has no nutrition and very little flavor. “Brown Rice Crispies” It has a ring to it. I would eat it every morning.