The Kellogg Breakfast Council was an organization made up of nutrition experts, whose stated purpose on the Kellogg's cereal company website was to provide independent nutrition advice to the company.[1] Council members included a professor of nutrition, a pediatrician, as well as several dietitians.[2]
History
editThe Breakfast Council was formed in 2011,[2] after a survey carried out by the Kellogg company showed that only 34% of Americans ate breakfast.[3] Its members were described on the Kellogg website as "independent experts".[1] A press release from the company described them as "third party" nutrition experts,[4] who would give nutrition advice to the company and provide information to the public about the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast.[5]
The Council members taught a continuing education class for dietitians, and published an academic paper about cereal nutrition.[2] They also suggested changes to the government's dietary guidelines[6] and made positive comments on social media[7] and other online forums about cereal.[8] Kellogg included comments from these experts in cereal commercials.[9]
In 2016, the Associated Press uncovered emails and a copy of a contract showing that the council's members were paid by Kellogg.[10] The average annual compensation was $13,000, and the contract prohibited them from working for Kellogg's competition.[11] The members were provided with a toolkit which included suggested wording for social media posts about cereal.[12] The council members' relationship with Kellogg was not always revealed when the posts were made.[citation needed]
In May 2016, the council members' contracts expired, and the council ceased to operate.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b Choi, Candace (November 22, 2016). "Breakfast council served Kellogg". Arkansas Online.
- ^ a b c Choi, Candace (November 22, 2016). "Kellogg 'Breakfast Council' was made up of paid experts". Toronto Star. p. A3.
- ^ "Survey Shows Busy Mornings Keep Most Americans From Eating Breakfast Daily". Food Companies 360. June 22, 2011.
- ^ "Kellogg Reveals Results of Monumental Breakfast Survey" (Press release). Kellogg. June 22, 2011 – via PRNewswire.
- ^ "Kellogg's seeks to reverse breakfast trend". Texas Agriculture Magazine. Vol. 27, no. 3. September 2011. p. 4 – via EBSCO Host.[dead link]
- ^ "Kellogg's Breakfast Council Gaffe". Pyments. November 28, 2016.
- ^ "How Kellogg worked with 'independent experts' to tout cereal". Times Argus. November 26, 2016.
- ^ "- A phenomenal breakfast". The World. Vermont.
- ^ Murray, Alan (November 22, 2016). "Kellogg's Fake Independent Experts". Fortune.
- ^ a b Addady, Michal (November 21, 2016). "Kellogg Paid 'Independent Experts' to Promote Its Cereal". Fortune.
- ^ Northrup, Laura (November 22, 2016). "Kellogg Paid Its 'Independent' Breakfast Council, Fed Them Pro-Cereal Talking Points". Consumerist.
- ^ Martinho, Katherine (November 23, 2016). "Kellogg paid 'independent' breakfast experts to promote cereal". Treehugger.