It looks like Kellogg’s is facing a whole lot more than just a breakfast debate. This week, over 1,000 protesters swarmed the cereal giant’s headquarters in Battle Creek, Michigan, demanding that the company stop using artificial dyes and the preservative BHT in its children’s cereals. It’s a new chapter in the ongoing war between parents, health advocates, and corporations over what goes into the food that millions of kids eat every morning.
Leading the charge at this protest was Vani Hari, better known as “The Food Babe.” With nearly 2 million Instagram followers, Hari has made a name for herself by calling out big food brands over the use of what she deems harmful ingredients. This time, her target was Kellogg’s, and she brought some serious backup: a petition signed by over 200,000 people calling for the removal of these questionable additives.
Hari claims that artificial dyes, which make your kids’ cereal glow like a neon light show, are linked to a whole host of health issues, including hyperactivity, autoimmune disorders, and even cancer in animal studies. According to her, Kellogg’s is essentially serving up a chemical cocktail for breakfast. But, naturally, the FDA chimed in, saying that most kids don’t seem to have adverse reactions to color additives, though a small number might be sensitive. It’s a bit of a “move along, nothing to see here” response from the agency.
The protest wasn’t just some local food fight, either. Pediatricians and health experts showed up to hammer home the point that this issue is bigger than just dyes and preservatives. Dr. Patrick Joseph Walsh, a pediatrician from Los Angeles, fired some heavy stats at the crowd, saying that half of today’s children are dealing with chronic diseases, with obesity and diabetes hitting levels that would’ve been unthinkable just a few decades ago. His message was clear: It’s time to face what’s happening to our kids’ health, and food companies like Kellogg’s need to get serious about the ingredients they’re using.
But Kellogg’s isn’t new to controversy, especially when it comes to conservative circles. Let’s not forget that in 2016, the company pulled its ads from Breitbart News, citing that its readers weren’t “aligned with the company’s values.” That move didn’t sit well with Breitbart, which launched a #DumpKelloggs boycott in retaliation. This protest adds more fuel to the fire that has long been burning between Kellogg’s and conservative consumers.
.@megynkelly made a bold statement – KELLOGG’s get the %$$# out. It’s up to us if we want these Iconic American companies to treat our children fairly. Who’s going to do it if we don’t. pic.twitter.com/PLIuPQs3mO
— Vani Hari (@thefoodbabe) October 9, 2024
And, speaking of tone-deaf corporate moves, Kellogg’s CEO had a real winner earlier this year when he suggested that families struggling with inflation should just “eat cereal for dinner.” As if parents dealing with the Biden-Harris economy needed another reminder that the folks at the top are completely out of touch with reality. What’s worse? Families are now being told to save a buck by serving the same cereal that’s packed with artificial junk.
It’s pretty obvious Kellogg’s doesn’t seem eager to clean up its act. Just last March, one of the company’s own shareholders demanded they address the harmful additives in their products. So far? Crickets.
Vani Hari, @thefoodbabe Cancels @KelloggsUS
Over one thousand protesters delivered nearly half a million petitions to the cereal giant, demanding the removal of toxic dyes and the chemical preservative BHT.
What was Kellogg’s response? ‘Get Off My Lawn’ displayed in a window.… pic.twitter.com/AwSxarxHk2
— The HighWire (@HighWireTalk) October 17, 2024
In the end, it’s hard not to wonder—if the bigwigs running Kellogg’s know what’s in these cereals, are they actually feeding them to their own families? Dr. Will Cole, a functional medicine practitioner at the protest, sure doesn’t think so. He questioned whether the execs would dare put these colorful, sugar-laden cereals on their breakfast tables. Seems like a safe bet that they wouldn’t.
As Kellogg’s continues to dig in its heels, this protest could just be the start of a larger movement. Parents are waking up to the fact that their kids’ breakfast bowls might not be as innocent as they look, and Kellogg’s better be ready to face the fallout.
More than 1,000 protesters gathered outside the Michigan headquarters of KW Kellogg Co. this week, demanding the company remove certain dyes and preservatives from its breakfast cereals.
More: https://t.co/kFUwkz6VWw pic.twitter.com/04N4ObjKjn
— NewsNation (@NewsNation) October 17, 2024
