It’s a staple in most American homes, but, in Mexico, at least 380,000 boxes of Kellogg’s cereal was seized in Mexico City, Mexico. According to a report from the Associated Press, Mexican officials raided seventy-five stores in the city and took batches of the cereal product. However, they also raided a warehouse north of Mexico City as well. All in total, nearly 400,000 boxes of cereal – mostly Corn Flakes and Special K – were absconded in the raid.
The officials stated that the boxes depict cartoon characters which allegedly breach a Mexican law that is meant to improve the diet of Mexican children. According to the AP report, the law bans companies from utilizing certain marketing gimmicks that might “entice children.”
Officials involved in the raid related that the cereals may not contain a great deal of sugar or other harmful ingredients. In fact, most Americans likely associate both Special K and Corn Flakes with healthier cereals among Kellogg’s cereal products. The AP also reported that there were no ingredient labels on the cereal products seized.
Mexican officials are growing concerned over the health of the country’s citizens, particularly children.
In 2020, a study showed that around seventy-three percent of the Mexican population is overweight. As a result, the Mexican state of Oaxaca took steps to improve the health of its citizens, including banning the sale of sugary drinks as well as high-calorie snacks to children. The state also imposed fines on stores that violated the new law; some instances could cause the state to close stores that continue to violate policy.
The 2020 study highlighted the obesity epidemic in Mexico; however, due to deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, the issue did not garner international attention. However, with the seizure of nearly 400,000 cereal products, the issue is likely to receive much more awareness.
The Kellogg’s Special K box typically features a large, red K and the image of a bowl of cereal on its face; the Kellogg’s Corn Flakes box usually depicts the head of a rooster as well as a picture of the product. Of course, there are some Kellogg’s cereals that utilize cartoon characters, such as Tony the Tiger, on cereals that are typically marketed to children.
As of this writing, Kellogg’s had issued no comment on the raid and subsequent seizures.
In 2021, Kellogg’s workers went on strike, demanding a cost-of-living raise; more than 1,400 employees went on strike for a total of seventy-seven days. The strike involved union workers, and they argued for changes to their employee contracts that changed how employees were classified as well as raises. The strike ended just before Christmas when the employees felt their demands were finally met. Some employees got a raise of approximately $5 per hour.
