For decades, Britain has been a proud consumer of puffed, flaked, and heavily sugared breakfast cereals, despite mounting evidence that they're not exactly a health food. Now, the government is considering updating its nutrient profiling model (NPM) to include naturally occurring “free sugars” alongside refined sugar when deciding what counts as healthy or junk food. Bran flakes, which typically add glucose from corn or wheat starch to keep them from tasting like cardboard, would likely be classified as “high in fat, salt or sugar” (HFSS) under the new system.
Dean O’Brien, managing director of Kellanova (the company formerly known as Kellogg's), told the Telegraph that the proposed plans have “the potential to unintentionally undo years of work and investment by food companies to encourage healthier choices.” He noted that Kellogg's has reduced sugar by 27% and salt by 22% in its cereals over the past decade, and that under current rules, all of its children's cereals and four of its five bestsellers are deemed healthy. “Under the newly proposed plans, cereals such as bran flakes, which are high in fibre and low in saturated fat, would be re-classified as less healthy,” he added, insisting that breakfast cereals are “nutritionally dense” and fortified with vitamins and iron.
A government spokesperson countered that the previous nutrition rules were 20 years old and didn't “reflect the latest dietary advice.” The new model, they said, “shifts the focus from total sugars to free sugars and promotes diets higher in fibre.” They added, “Obesity and poor diets rob children of the best possible start in life, and this is about supporting parents to raise the healthiest generation of children by restricting the advertising and promotion of junk food.” The government is currently consulting on applying the new model to advertising and promotions restrictions and will consider all feedback.
This isn't the first time popular cereals have been caught with their sugar content down. In 2009, a survey by consumer group Which? of 100 cereals found that typical portions of some brands contained more sugar than a Cadbury chocolate Flake, despite manufacturers' claims to be reducing unhealthy ingredients. Even then, perceived health brands like Kellogg's All Bran, Bran Flakes, and Special K had high sugar levels. So perhaps it's time to accept that breakfast cereal is just dessert that lies about its intentions.