Kellogg's Surrenders!!!

[Gambit01]

I'm going to check my e-mail, when I ran into something that made me shake my head in shame: Kellogg's surrenders.

Basically, to avoid a law suit from a bunch of wankers, Kellogg's has agreed to not advertise in ways that appeal to children (including the use of toys, popular animated characters, and so on) unless 'a single serving meets the following conditions'

No more than 200 calories.

_No trans fat and no more than 2 grams of saturated fat.

_No more than 230 milligrams of sodium, except for Eggo frozen waffles.

_No more than 12 grams of sugar, not counting sugar from fruit, dairy and vegetables.

Kellogg has a self-imposed one year grace period to 'clean up their act' or stop marketing. All the while I'm just staring blankly and thinking, "Exactly how many 12-or-under year old kids are driving to the store, fishing out at least a good $15 and purchasing a box of Fruit Loops?"

If the kids are fat, it's because parents keep buying the goodies, NOT because Kellogg's is an 'evil mindless corporation trying to corrupt the youth with their greedy ways'.

Thoughts?

[Antares]

Politics much?

[lalahsghost]

Antares - Eh, as long as people keep their agendas out and this topic will be fine

I feel this is great. While working at a grocery store, I saw the entire cold cereal section (aisle) as a giant advertizing campaign for food, cartoons, and whatever new pirate-spider-spongebob movie is coming out next week. I rarely eat cereal anymore, but I might look into a box or two after the nutrition hopefully increases.

[Nimrod]

Now Lucky Charms and Count Chocula are going to taste like crap

Why must the soccer moms and those with nothing better to do with themselves of the world ruin everything because they can't/won't make their fat children go outside and play?

It's the same when that parent sued McDonalds because her kid got fat from eating the food everyday instead of them just saying "no" to the kid.

Politics much?

I'm curious, how the heck is this thread political?

[Turinu]

Now Lucky Charms and Count Chocula are going to taste like crap

Why must the soccer moms and those with nothing better to do with themselves of the world ruin everything because they can't/won't make their fat children go outside and play?

It's the same when that parent sued McDonalds because her kid got fat from eating the food everyday instead of them just saying "no" to the kid.

... We must go to the stores; to the supermarkets! WE MUST BUY OUT WHAT WE CAN BEFORE THIS TRAVESTY OCCURS~!

But yeah, I'll probably stock up on a few things before this occurs. Usually "healthier" foods tend to taste bland and I'm doubtful they'll be able to reduce said things while keeping said taste.

Look at Honeycomb for instance. Honeycomb used to taste WONDERFUL but now it tastes like crap; dunno if that was due to a more healthier approach or not though >>.

[Toxicity]

Meh....I really don't care. I'm not saying this isn't ridiculous, it's just the only breakfast cereal I ever eat is about as healthy as it gets. Blueberry Morning FTW!

[ORegan]

urge to kill rising...1st fast food and now cereal? come on, when are these parents gonna take responsibility for making their kids fat, and stop blaming the seller? when do you ever see alcoholics blame beer companies for having a bad liver?

my proposal is to have a disclaimer on cereal ads and commercials.

"frosted flakes are more then good, they're GGREAT! when consumed responsibly."

[EZero8]

Hey... I have LOADS of sugary cereal at home to snack on. I eat alot of it and I'm still skinny. So what's the issue now?

I have to say that this is outright wrong to back Kelloggs into a corner like that. Why blame the company when you're buying that stuff in the first place? It's not like Kelloggs have really advertised that it's a healthy brand the whole time, so you're at fault for believing that it's "healthy."

As far as I'm concerned, parents are just trying to find scapegoats to point their fingers towards other than at themselves. Ultimately, they're soley responsible for what food is put in front of their children. I'm guessing the next thing that happens is that they're gonna sue Safeway or Albertsons for having so many "junk foods" in their stores.

[SNT1]

my proposal is to have a disclaimer on cereal ads and commercials.

"frosted flakes are more then good, they're GGREAT! when consumed responsibly."

or how about this:

SURGEON GENERAL'S WARNING: Kellogg's makes you fat. Eat responsibly.

Frito-Lay, you're next!!@

[Charismatic Enigma]

Good lord, Oreos and Chips Ahoys are sure to follow.

[Folken Fanel]

Here's my solution to all of this: Put even MORE sugar in the cereals, thus making the kids hyper. Open the front door, and they'll bounce of the walls into the frsh air, where they'll burn the calories while running and jumping and being hyper. Obesity problem will be deep sixed in two weeks.

[Haros_Pet_Kat]

But then the soccer moms will start a raid because the extra sugar would rip apart teeth.

[Antares]

Nimrod said:

I'm curious, how the heck is this thread political?

I thought it might have a rather high potential for it. If I took your exasparated statement as an example:

Why must the soccer moms and those with nothing better to do with themselves of the world ruin everything because they can't/won't make their fat children go outside and play?

, I would agree with you to some extent but then would come controversial themes.
For example, I could say that Shori is wrong when s/he (on the internets I rarely know, or even ask for that clarification ) says that:

Usually "healthier" foods tend to taste bland and I'm doubtful they'll be able to reduce said things while keeping said taste.

Having switched to healthier and low fat foods in my daily groceries (you're still allowed to spoil yourself sometimes) it only takes 2-3 months of getting used to and after that the fattier foods you used to eat feel greasier (=unpleasant) in your mouth. But admittedly that is just me.

There is also the aspect that in some cases "healthier food" can be "advertised" to look undesirable and manufactured with the explicit intent because the fact tends to be that it won't be consumed that much. Now, there are bigger "culprits" than Kellogg's (they have healthier products, which have no added sugar), and I generally disapprove of suing when, as so many of you have quite correctly stated, you should take responsibility of your choices. However, just looking at the statistics for obesity in western countries would suggest that there is nothing wrong in starting to promote healthier foods (which would mean less advertisement for the super-choco-sugar-rush-bombs) at the expense of the unhealthy ones. Litigation unfortunately has become the standard effective recourse in these cases. The problem is that there is quite a lot of politically capable resistance to this change, because healthier foods cannot be (at the moment) advertised as the products of gratification the unhealthier products are. And that counts; if the parents buy into it, then they buy it for their kids too.

lalahghost said:

Eh, as long as people keep their agendas out and this topic will be fine

Now I fear I might've made it political. But in all honesty my points are basic economics with a tinge of sociology.

[blaze101]

I have to say that this is outright wrong to back Kelloggs into a corner like that. Why blame the company when you're buying that stuff in the first place? It's not like Kelloggs have really advertised that it's a healthy brand the whole time, so you're at fault for believing that it's "healthy."

As far as I'm concerned, parents are just trying to find scapegoats to point their fingers towards other than at themselves. Ultimately, they're soley responsible for what food is put in front of their children. I'm guessing the next thing that happens is that they're gonna sue Safeway or Albertsons for having so many "junk foods" in their stores.

Man, couldn't agree more. What's our country coming to when we're the ones who are buying the all these fatty foods for our kids, only to turn around and blame the company for producing and selling them. I hate McDonald's for making such mediocore fast food, but you don't see me trying to sue them for their "mystery meat" hamburgers.

Don't get me wrong, I do believe some products shouldn't exist (deep fried twinkies being one, eww heart attack), but we're talking about sugar coated cereal. If your kid gets jumpy from excess sugar, either monitor the amount of the cereal your child eats and how often or don't buy that kind of cereal at all.

Besides, common sense tells ya that a bowl of sugared cereal every other day isn't going to be the cause of your child becoming obese...I mean really, I bet these people feed their kids what ever the hell they want to. I was obese as a child myself (I weighed 210lbs when I was in 6th grade ), and I must say the solution is work on eating habits and nutrition from an early age.

[Krogoth255]

What the hell has happened to personal responsibility and accountability?

I do find that most "healthy" cereals taste just about as good as the sugar-loaded crap.

[RedShirt0909]

I'll echo everyone earlier. Businesses are not to blame for misuse of their products. Parents should learn to say "no" and accept responsibilty for their actions and ensuring their kids stay healthy. Do what my folks used to do to me on weekends when I was 11: no TV/Video games until you take a 2 mile run. Don't stock the house with crappy foods; make sure there is a good selection of fruit that kids can eat for snacks, and make it clear the fruit has to be eaten before the chips. And when you screw up, admit it, take responsibility for it, and learn from it. People hate having to blame themselves, so they take the easy way out and blame the "evil, malignant corporation" that can take the blame and make them victems rather than screwups.

[ORegan]

What the hell has happened to personal responsibility and accountability?

people stopped taking the fault for them shoveling loads of food into their mouthes, then when they take an break to breath, they spew out all this bullcrap about them being seduced or whatever fat people are using for the term "I see food, there for I shall eat it without any thought to how it will affect me, but no matter, it's not my fault anymore because the world became soft, like my tummy."

[Ryujin]

Lol, the corps should counter-sue for 'parental irresponsibility' and get pay-offs in the form of tax breaks. The government can then offset the cost with YAY! New taxes!, the amount paid being based on the body fat ratio of any children in the household. "The soccer moms forced our hand."

[Newtype87]

Does anyone remember the South Park Movie? In particular, the "Blame Canada Song:"

"We must blame them, and cause a fuss
before somebody thinks of blaming us!"

That sums up pretty much every political action on the part of parents over the past several years, from Kelloggs to Jack Thompson to the motion picture ratings system.

And since I feel that parents shouldn't buy the darned "M" games for their kids if they don't want their kids to grow up to be psychotic murderers (please note the sarcasm), I think this is a pretty dumb thing. Not the dumbest thing I've ever heard, not by a long shot, but still pretty dumb.

[ORegan]

Kellogg's should just go to court, they'd probably win if they make the statement that consumption is the consumer's choice. now breakfast is going to suck thanks to the moms of fat kids.