Cheerios Protein doesn’t live up to what it claims – but it does have a lot of sugar, according to a class-action lawsuit filed this week by a consumer advocacy group. A 1¼ cup serving of Cheerios Protein contains 17 times as much sugar as original Cheerios, which only has one gram of sugar per one-cup serving.
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A serving of Original Cheerios contains 3g of protein, and a serving of Cheerios Protein contains 7g – but here’s the critical detail: the serving sizes used to calculate these numbers are not the same.
But all of that protein apparently comes at a price. Alleging new cheerios protein misleads customers.
In a statement, it said: “Cheerios Protein boasts on the front of its box that it has 11 grams of protein; four of those grams come from the milk, leaving seven grams from the cereal”. 7 gram difference between Cheerios Protein Oats and Honey (6.7 grams) and Original Cheerios (6 grams), the suit says. The cereal has 7 grams of protein per serving while regular Cheerios has 3 grams of protein per serving, according to the Nutrition Facts panel printed on each box.
Protein is just one property General Mills has focused on in its new product development and marketing. Regular cheerios, just 2 grams, while cheerios protein oats and honey has a whopping 16 grams.
Advertising for Cheerios Protein says it’s a “great start to your day” along with pictures of “appealing photographic images depicting healthy and successful kids and parents”, the claim says. CSPI is asking for unspecified damages and for General Mills to change the way it markets Cheerios Protein.
Consumers who buy Cheerios Protein probably think theyre doing themselves a favor, and that this more expensive product is essentially a protein-fortified version of original Cheerios, said CSPI litigation director Maia Kats. The actual difference in protein is arguably miniscule.
Mike Siemienas, a General Mills spokesperson, said the company does not “normally respond to these publicity-seeking lawsuits” but added that “we reject their comparison”. “An equal amount of Cheerios Protein contains 18% more protein by weight than original Cheerios”.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a product can claim to be a “good source” of a nutrient if it contains 10-19% of the recommended daily value.
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CSPIs complaint also says that General Mills marketing on television and the Internet for Cheerios Protein is false and misleading.
