Kellogg's CEO Hit for 'Marketing Spin on Poverty'

With shoppers spending the highest portion of their income on food than at any point in the last 30 years, Kellogg has been encouraging families to eat cereal for dinner. But that advice has met with quite the backlash after Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick doubled down and denied that asking families to "give chicken the night off" in favor of Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, or Raisin Bran, might "land the wrong way." More:

• 'Much more affordable': In a Feb. 21 interview with CNBC, Pilnick said the idea of cereal for dinner was "landing really well right now." It's "on trend" as "we would expect to continue as that consumer is under pressure," he said. "The price of a bowl of cereal with milk and with fruit is less than $1" and "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."
• 'Greedflation': But the cost of cereal has climbed along with everything else and is now up 28% since January 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. CNN notes Kellogg, which reported $651 million in net sales in the fourth quarter, raised prices 12% in its latest fiscal year. Some boxes of cereal now cost more than $7. "Greedflation is forcing families to make choices like eating cereal for dinner to save money," an X user wrote, per Today.

• 'Empty calories': Plus, critics say, "cereal is not an adequate substitution for a full dinner," per CNN. One X user describes it as "a big bowl of empty calories," per the New York Post. As a nutritionist told HealthShots in 2022, corn flakes are low in nutrients and fiber but high in added sugar. "They are bad for the heart and general health," said Kavita Devgan, and "people will be hungry soon again."
• 'Marketing spin on poverty': One X user accused Kellogg of "price hiking all day without a care," per the Post. "I wonder what their CEO is having for dinner?" Pilnick, it should be noted, earned more than $4 million in salary and bonuses in 2023, per CNN. "Hearing welathy (sic) folks put a marketing spin on poverty is wild," wrote a user on Instagram, per the Post. "Eat the rich instead," wrote another.
• 'Exploiting the hungry': Several users likened Pilnick's words to the infamous "let them eat cake" quote attributed to Marie Antoinette when she was reportedly told her French subjects had no bread, per Business Insider. Former presidential candidate Marianne Williamson wrote, "Advertising to hungry people that cereal might be good for dinner is not 'meeting people where they are.' It's exploiting the hungry for financial gain."

(More Kellogg stories.)