Kellogg’s Class Action Says Cereals Contain Too Much Sugar

Excessive sugar may make cereals and breakfast bars more delectable, but a recent class action lawsuit against Kellogg’s argues that the taste isn’t enough to justify the potential health risks.

Several consumers recently filed a class action lawsuit against Kellogg’s, alleging that the breakfast food manufacturer uses excessive sugar in their so-called “healthy” products.

Plaintiffs Melody DiGregorio, Eric Fishon, Kerry Austin, and Nafeesha Madyun argue that excessive sugar is “toxic” to the human body.

Their Kellogg’s cereal class action lawsuit references studies that reportedly show “consuming excessive added sugar—any amount above approximately 5% of daily caloric intake—greatly increases the risk of heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, and a wide variety of other chronic morbidity”.

Additionally, the Kellogg’s class action lawsuit claims that excessive sugar consumption by children can lead to the potential for an addiction response.

Eating sugar reportedly produces characteristics of craving and withdrawal and also elicits chemical changes in the brain’s reward center. These neurological responses to sugar reportedly mirror those found in people addicted to serious drugs such as cocaine and alcohol. Unfortunately, children who regularly consume excessive sugar may be particularly vulnerable to a lifelong addiction to sweets.

Despite the wealth of evidence showing that excessive sugar is dangerous to the human body, Kellogg’s allegedly choses to market their high-sugar cereal and bars by using “aggressive health and wellness claims.”

The Kellogg’s class action argues that these marketing claims are deceptive because they do not truthfully relay the “dangers of excessive sugar consumption.”

The plaintiffs take issue with the labeling and marketing of several Kellogg’s cereals including:

• Raisin Bran
• Frosted Mini-Wheats
• Smart Start

These products are allegedly marketed with misleading health and wellness claims despite containing high levels of sugar.

Advertising for the cereals state that the products will “help recharge your body,” “help [] you rebuild,” and “help you refuel,” and that some of these cereals “offer the nutrients our bodies want to work and feel their best.”

The plaintiffs are also taking issue with several of Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain cereal bars, including:

• Nutri-Grain Cereal Bars
• Nutri-Grain Soft-Baked Breakfast Bars
• Nutri-Grain Oat & Harvest Bars
• Nutri-Grain Harvest Hearty Breakfast Bars
• Nutri-Grain Fruit Crunch Granola Bars
• Nutri-Grain Crunch Crunchy Breakfast Bars
• Nutri-Grain Fruit & Nut Chewy Breakfast Bars

Similar to the cereal products targeted in the Kellogg’s class action, plaintiffs claim that these cereal bars contain high levels of sugar that exceed the daily recommended amount. Despite this, the products are allegedly marketed as healthy and nutritious.

Kellogg’s allegedly distracts from the high sugar content by drawing attention to their products’ lack of high fructose corn syrup and stressing that the products are whole grain, high in fiber, and contain real fruit.

Plaintiffs in the class action claim that these marketing schemes are simply a ploy by the company to distract from the true health risks posed by the cereal and cereal bar products.

The Kellogg’s class action seeks to represent a Class of consumers who purchased high sugar Kellogg’s cereals or snack bars bearing health and wellness claims within the last six years.

The Kellogg’s class action lawsuit seeks changes to Kellogg’s marketing strategies as well as restitution, interest, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.

Plaintiffs and the proposed Class are represented by Jack Fitzgerald of The Law Office of Jack Fitzgerald PC.

The Kellogg’s Cereals Class Action Lawsuit is DiGregorio, et al. v. Kellogg Sales Company, Case No. 3:19-cv-00632-GTS-ATB, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York.

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