food for thought

Fruit Loops is under fire for — yikes! — encouraging kids to read

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Kellogg's Fruit Loops
Fruit Loops (Photo: Shutterstock)

Kellogg’s cereal Fruit Loops is the latest brand to fall foul of the anti-woke brigade.

What’s its crime? It’s running a promotion on boxes in Canada that encourages kids to log in to a digital library to read stories.

You’d think any initiative encouraging kids to read might be applauded, right? However, this digital library includes stories that include diversity and inclusion.

The website itself says the library, “was created with the help of our partners at BGC Canada [formerly known as Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada] and Kids Can Press to help families explore diverse topics.” These include kindness, acceptance and cultural inclusivity.

Images of the boxes soon appeared on an X account called @EndWokeness. It tweeted them with a caption saying, “Fruit Loops is now encouraging kids to go online and read their free library of woke propaganda.”

Libs of TikTok

This was then echoed by the influential @LibsofTikTok account (2.6 million followers). It fumed, “Fruit Loops promotes free access to a digital library on their cereal boxes for kids. The library offers a range of books to teach kids themes of ‘equity, diversity, and inclusion’. @KelloggsUS wants to indoctrinate your children with breakfast cereal. Stop giving them your money!”

It instead directed followers to a shopping app that promotes “values-aligned businesses” [good luck finding any rainbow-colored cereals there!].

Unsurprisingly, many of LibsofTikTok followers were happy to echo its message. They denounced Kellogg’s for encouraging kids to read and explore the lives of other people.

This included country singer John Rich (1 million X followers), who expressed similar disgust earlier this year toward Bud Light.

Many others simply rolled their eyes at the faux outrage.

‘Together With Pride’

This is not the first time Fruit Loops have risked online wrath. In 2019, Kellogg’s sold a limited edition box containing a mixture of its cereals (including Fruit Loops). It was labeled ‘All Together’. Promotional materials said it was taking a stand against bullying for Spirit Day.

“We have long been allies and supporters of LGBTQ employees, their families and the community,” Priscilla Koranteng, Kellogg’s Vice President of Talent and Chief Diversity Officer, said at the time. “For more than 100 years, Kellogg has nourished families so they can flourish and thrive, and the company continues to welcome everyone to the table.”

Then, in 2021, in partnership with GLAAD, it released a limited edition, Fruit Loops ‘Together with Pride’ box.

Kellogg's Together With Pride cereal box
(Photo: Kellogg’s)

Related:

One Million Moms is now blowing a gasket over this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The anti-LGBTQ+ pressure group has vowed to boycott the store and the parade.

Kellogg’s releases a Pride-themed cereal with edible glitter

Rainbow hearts? We’re expecting a One Million Moms boycott within days…

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