Kellogg's Coco Pops condemned by Parents Jury

Awarded to: Kellogg's Coco Pops

The Children's Food Awards

Breakfast cereals turn out to be one of the food categories that the Parents Jury is most concerned about.

A common complaint from parents is that nearly all of children's breakfast cereals are coated in gooey sugar, and some are flavoured with cocoa so that children learn to nag parents for chocolate at every meal.

Breakfast cereals are also the subject of the most high-pressure marketing to children, with movie link-ups and popular cartoon characters.

Coco Pops got more votes than any other in the Breakfast Battles category, not only because of its high level of sugar (39% sugar), but because of its added chocolate appeal. Parents voted Kellogg's Coco Pops as the children's breakfast cereal that children most want to eat, but which parents would prefer that they didn't.

When the Food Commission took a look at breakfast cereals, it found that only two children's brands contained less than a fifth added sugar (Weetabix and Rice Krispies), while other children's cereals were typically between one third and one half sugar! Quaker Sugar Puffs are 49% sugar; Nestlé Monsters Inc cereal is 35% sugar; and Kellogg's Frosties are 40% sugar. What a tooth-rotting start to the day! These cereals were runners up in the 'Breakfast Battles' category.

Expert opinion

The mums and dads on The Parents Jury were unhappy with the sugar levels in Coco Pops and many other cereals. Our experts can only agree with the parents - Coco Pops are very high in sugar (39g per 100g - that's nearly 40% sugar!). Any product with a sugar content greater than 10% (10g per 100g) is high in sugar, according to government guidelines.

The ideal breakfast cereal should be high in starchy, complex carbohydrates, and low in sugar, so that its energy is released slowly into the blood as it is digested.

Coco Pops are 39% (over a third) sugar.

On the side of the Coco Pops packet Kellogg's say that Coco Pops are 'Sensible eating for a healthy lifestyle' and explain that 'Coco Pops is high in carbohydrates'. But Kellogg's don't explain that most of these carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates (like sugar), rather than the complex carbohydrates which are healthier for us.

Sugar is a real problem for teeth too. A recent Government survey (National Diet and Nutrition Survey, 2000) found that 53% of children had dental disease.

In light of the above we don't think it responsible that manufacturers should pack so much sugar in children's foods.

We took 30g of Kellogg's Coco Pops (the recommended serving listed on the box) and crushed them into powder. We then added a little bit of water, to make the powder stick together. This is what we ended up with - a very small chocolate cookie. Does this look like a nutritious breakfast for a growing child?

Here are two ways to help you judge if a breakfast cereal is a healthier option
Most cereals now carry a Nutrition Information panel. Check that the cereal contains less than 10g of sugar per 100g, and that the cereal contains less than 0.5g of sodium (1.25g of salt) per 100g (sodium is the component of salt which is linked to heart disease and strokes).

Kellogg's Coco Pops: What's in 'em?

Ingredients: Rice, Sugar, Chocolate (4.5%), Cocoa Powder, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Malt Flavouring, Flavouring, Niacin, Iron, Vitamin B6, Riboflavin B2, Thiamin B1, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12.

The pictures on the box are appealing, for some reason. My son's behaviour deteriorates within half an hour of eating them.
father of two, from Church Stretton in Shropshire

My son just wants the silly toy inside the box.
mother of two, from Orpington in Kent

Kellogg's trades on its wholesome reputation which was built up in the past but is no longer genuine.
mother of one, from Durham

Relentless advertising.
mother of two, from Berkshire

My children could sing the jingle from the TV advert at the age of two-and-a-half.
mother of two, from Chester-le-Street in County Durham

Packaging is the main attraction for Coco Pops, reinforced by high levels of promotion. My children don't actually like the taste! And a sugar high is followed by a hungry low.
mother of four, from Etchingham in East Sussex

This wasn't the only contender. Most cereals or cereal breakfast bars are full of sugar, salt and other nasties. But which one do you choose? Unfortunately the list seems endless.
mother of three, from Welling in Kent

My mother-in-law introduced my son to these - it has been impossible to feed him anything else ever since.
mother of one, from London

Children get enough pressure to eat chocolate. They don't need to start with breakfast.
Mother of one, from Milton Keynes in Bedfordshire

I won't buy them and my children keep asking for them.
mother of two, from Bristol

Awarded to: Kellogg's Coco Pops

The Children's Food Awards

Expert opinion

Kellogg's Coco Pops: What's in 'em?