Kellogg cuts sugar levels in cereals

Greg Peterson, Kellogg UK managing director, said: "We've invested millions of pounds and thousands of staff hours over the last two years to make this happen, and will do this without compromising the taste people love." By mid-2011, Kellogg will remove 15% of sugar in all its Coco Pops cereals, effectively reducing sugar content to one and a half teaspoons per serving and removing almost 750 tonnes of sugar from the nation's diet annually. The sugar will be replaced with starch from grains and glucose syrup; no artificial sweeteners will be used. Calories will be maintained at around 116 calories per serving. Peterson said the change means a portion of Coco Pops cereal will now provide about 10% of a child's Guideline Daily Amount (GDA) of sugar and 10% of the recommended daily amount of vitamin D. He added that British children don't get enough vitamin D, despite the fact it is essential for bone health. "We've listened to what mums have been saying and we're responding. They want a balance: lower sugar cereals which children will still eat," he said. The move marks the first step in a programme to improve the nutrition profile of the entire Coco Pops cereal line, with plans to further reduce the sugar content provided the cereals pass consumer taste tests. "This is a process, so while we've announced we are taking 15% of sugar out by mid- next year, we will go further if we can take peoples' palates with us," he added. Which? chief executive, Peter Vicary-Smith, commented: "It's good news that Kellogg's is launching a new healthier cereal for children. Which? research has repeatedly found it's virtually impossible to find cereals targeted at children that aren't high in sugar or salt. "It's also encouraging that Kellogg's is lowering the sugar in the Coco Pops range, although they remain high sugar products. We hope Kellogg's will now follow this with further efforts to reduce sugar and salt in their products, particularly those aimed at children."