General Mills to Reduce Sugar in Cereals

General Mills has announced a public commitment to reduce sugar in cereals advertised to children to single-digit grams of sugar per serving.  The initiative is in place and progress has been made, the company said, “with further reductions to continue until single-digit levels are reached on all cereals advertised to children.” 

“Ready-to-eat cereals, including presweetened cereals, account for only 5 percent of the sugar in children’s diets,” said Jeff Harmening, president of General Mills’ Big G cereal division.  "Still, we know that some consumers would prefer to see cereals that are even lower in sugar, especially children’s cereals.  General Mills has responded – and we are committing to reduce sugar levels even more.”

General Mills has been reducing sugar in cereals advertised to children, while increasing key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, and providing whole grain.  “We have already made meaningful changes across our cereal portfolio,” noted Harmening, “and we have reached and exceeded our original goals.  So today we are strengthening our goal – by publicly committing to further reduce to single-digit levels of sugar per serving every cereal advertised to children under 12.”

The company’s commitment is among the most aggressive goals advanced in the food industry.  The initiative will extend globally to 130 countries, with Cereal Partners Worldwide – the global cereal joint venture in which General Mills is a partner – adopting similar commitments.

Read the full press release at General Mills.