Protesters at WK Kellogg Plant on Tuesday Make DemandsProtesters at WK Kellogg Plant on Tuesday Make Demands

Protestors want the cereal giant to remove artificial coloring from popular brands such as Froot Loops and Apple Jacks.

Kristen Kazarian, Managing Editor

October 15, 2024

2 Min Read
Kellogg was to remove the artificial dyes/colors by 2018.
Kellogg announced about 10 years ago that it would remove artificial colors and ingredients from its products by 2018. It hasn't happened.AngelaMacario/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images

More than 1,000 people marched up to WK Kellogg's headquarters in Battle Creek, MI, claiming the company didn't fulfill a promise to consumers.

The promise? Cutting artificial dyes from its popular cereals, including Fruit Loops and Apple Jacks. Kellogg announced nearly a decade ago that it would remove artificial colors and ingredients from its products by 2018.

The company has done so in other countries. In Canada, for example, Froot Loops are colored with concentrated carrot juice, watermelon juice, and blueberry juice. Natural colors are also used in Australia and the UK. In the US, the cereal still contains artificial colors and BHT, a chemical preservative.

On Tuesday, activists said they were delivering petitions with more than 400,000 signatures asking WK Kellogg to remove artificial dyes and BHT from their cereals.

Protesters said there was evidence that artificial dyes can contribute to behavioral issues in children. However, the FDA says it has reviewed and evaluated the effects of color additives on children’s behavior and believes that most children have no adverse effects when consuming them.

“Today, more than 85% of our cereal sales contain no colors from artificial sources," Kellogg said in a statement. "We continuously innovate new cereals that do not contain colors from artificial sources across our biggest brands, offering a broad choice of nourishing foods for our consumers."

Kellogg said it announced its plan to remove artificial colors and ingredients almost a decade ago because it believed customers were seeking foods with natural ingredients and would welcome the change. But the company said it found that consumer preferences differed widely across markets, AP News reported.

“For example, there is better reception to our cereal recipes that utilize natural-color alternatives within the Canadian market than in the U.S.,” the company said.

Last month, CA Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill banning six food dyes from food served in the state’s public schools, making it the first state in the US to do so.

About the Author

Kristen Kazarian

Managing Editor

Kristen Kazarian has been a writer and editor for more than three decades. She has worked at several consumer magazines and B2B publications in the fields of food and beverage, packaging, processing, women's interest, local news, health and nutrition, fashion and beauty, automotive, and IT.

Sign up for the Powder & Bulk Solids Weekly newsletter.

You May Also Like