Kellogg's CEO Is Being Slammed After Suggesting That People Struggling With Rising Food Costs Should "Eat Cereal For Dinner"

BuzzFeed
·3 min read
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It's no secret that food prices have been going higher and higher. For some people, this has resulted in making drastic changes to what they buy at the supermarket to stay on budget and cutting back on things like junk foods and fast food.

Shopping cart filled with groceries moving fast to the right on a gradient background, symbolizing rising food costs
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Recently, the Chair and CEO of Kellogg, Gary Pilnick, appeared on CNBC's Squawk on the Street to talk about consumers struggling with rising food prices at grocery stores. Pilnick went on to say, "The cereal category has always been quite affordable," adding that cereal "tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure." He then said that in messaging for consumers, they are advertising "cereal for dinner."

CNBC / Via Twitter: @3vanSutton

When asked by the host, Carl Quintanilla, if telling people to eat cereal for dinner might "land the wrong way," Pilnick said he didn't think so, saying, "In fact, it’s landing really well right now." He then went on to add, "Cereal for dinner is something that is probably more on trend now, and we would expect to continue as that consumer is under pressure."

Now, of course, people having cereal for dinner is not exactly unusual — some people love cereal and can eat it all day. But the idea is that usually it's a choice, not a last resort.

Bowl of cereal with a spoon, on a white background
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And needless to say, Pilnick's out-of-touch comments have been met with criticism online:

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Twitter: @SavingsCaptain

All joking aside, there are a lot of people out there with food insecurities, if you wish to donate to a food bank you can locate a local one through Feeding America's website.