Kellogg's CEO, Gary Pilnick, has faced backlash after suggesting that people should eat cereal for dinner as a way to save money.
This statement caused fierce controversy when the issue of high inflation made preparing meals for people seemingly extremely difficult.
In an interview with CNBC, Pilnick stated that the cereal category has always been affordable and can be a great option for consumers under financial pressure.
He argued that cereal is a more cost-effective choice compared to other high-cost dinner options.
CNBC host Carl Quintanilla asked CEO Kellogg whether encouraging customers to eat cereal at night was a wrong decision.
Pilnick emphasized that this statement is currently 'landing' very well.
Pilnick mentioned that having a bowl of cereal with milk and fresh fruit for dinner costs less than $1, making it a cost-effective trend in recent times.
Pilnick's remarks sparked a wave of criticism on social media, with many expressing sadness that people are being forced to resort to cereal to make ends meet.
Some accused Kellogg's of capitalizing on people's financial struggles.
The comments also drew attention to the fact that many Americans are spending a significant portion of their disposable income on food, with the highest percentage since 1999.
Remarkably, Pilnick's annual compensation includes a substantial salary of $1 million and incentive compensation of $4 million, leading some to question his understanding of the financial struggles faced by many consumers.
Kellogg's has been promoting the idea of having cereal for dinner since 2022, launching a campaign with the tagline "Give chicken the night off."
The company emphasized the low cost and convenience of cereal as a dinner option due to its low preparation and minimal mess.
However, viewers and social media users expressed their dissatisfaction with the suggestion, arguing that cereal lacks nutritional value and should not be a substitute for a standard meal.
Except there won’t be any cereal left after breakfast, because they shrunk what’s in the boxes while charging the same amount, one user said.
I can get one pound of boneless chicken breasts on sale for $1.99 in my local ShopRite. A box of Kellogg’s cereal is $5.50, and that’s not even the big box. Why would I eat Cereal? The second user posed a question.
Cereals contain toxic additives e.g BHT, loads of sugar and highly processed. Kellogg gives huge donations to the American Heart Association so Kellogg cereals like Cheerios get a stamp of approval. Kellogg and American Heart Association poisoning our kids, another affirmed.
I see him saying this then taking off the mic and heading out to a $300 per person restaurant for dinner, someone wrote.
