Kellogg's boss criticised for saying cash-strapped families should eat 'cereal for dinner'

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Credit: CNN

Kellogg’s CEO Gary Pilnick’s advice to cash-strapped shoppers? Eat cereal for dinner.

The comments, made in an interview with CNBC last week, have prompted criticism on social media, with some people calling them "tone deaf" and "shameful".

But Mr Pilnick - who personally made a salary of more than $4 million (£3.2 million) last year - said the cereal has "always been quite affordable" and "tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure."

“If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that’s going to be much more affordable," he added.

This is not the first time the company, which owns cereals such as Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, and Corn Flakes, has suggested cereal for dinner to consumers.

The tagline of a WW Kellogg advertisement last year was: “Give chicken the night off". The ad has more than 100 million views at the time of writing.

But Mr Pilnick's advice didn't sit well with Americans, who have been spending 26% more on groceries since 2020.

When asked in the CNBC interview whether encouraging weary customers to eat cereal for dinner could “land the wrong way", the CEO doubled down.

“In fact, it’s landing really well right now,” he said. “Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now".

Prices for groceries in the US have skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. In 2022, consumers spent 11.3% of their disposable income on food - the highest level since 1991, according to data from the US Agriculture Department.

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Cereal prices alone increased 28% since January of 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In its latest fiscal year, Kellogg's raised prices by 12%.

The CEO has also received backlash in the UK.

Jon Trickett, a Labour MP for Hemsworth in West Yorkshire tweeted on Tuesday: "Kellogg's boss says poor people should eat cereal for dinner. I’ve got a better idea. Tax profitable companies properly and make sure everyone in our country can access a good evening meal?"

A representative for Kellogg's did not immediately respond to ITV News' request for comment.

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