While we all knew our favourite sugary breakfast cereals were bad for us, we’ve always been able to play a game of delicious ignorance – until now.
Buyers will no longer have the option to ignore the fact that their favourites morning pick-me-ups are – well – full of sugar.
In an unprecedented move, and a marketing shock, Kelloggs have announced that they will be introducing Health Star Ratings to their packaging. The Health Star Ratings are intended to indicate the nutritional value of the cereal, as well weighing energy, saturated fat, sugar and sodium against protein and fibre content.
The Health Star Rating is a government-led initiative, aimed to rein in food manufacturers by offering a system of accountability. And although adding the system to marketing and branding is voluntary, details of the proposal indicate that they plan to implement it slowly over the next five years to most packaged foods.
The choice, however, is a bold one for Kelloggs as it means that the brand will not only have to rate its healthiest cereals – but also its unhealthiest.
They were easy to offer up their bran cereals to be stamped with a 4.5/5 rating, including all four of their All Bran varieties, Guardian (scoring a 5/5), Mini Wheats, Special K, Sultana Bran, and Sustain.
Their lowest rates cereals, on the other hand, were another matter. Whilst they did not give out any 1/5 ratings, they did give out a 1.5 which went to the sugar-frosted deliciousness, ‘Crispix’.
Things went slightly up from there, with Crunchy Nut, Coco Pops, Frosties, Froot Loops and (surprisingly) Nutrigrain, scoring 2 out of 5.
Middle of the range Rice Bubbles and Cornflakes scored 3/5.
Kellogg’s has been congratulated on the move.
Check out how your favourite cereals rated.
Kellogg’s cereal ratings, via their website.
Kellogg’s cereal ratings, via their website.
Kellogg’s cereal ratings, via their website.
