Politics
The CEO of Kellogg’s recently went on CNBC to discuss the different ways his company is trying to ease the financial burden felt by millions of American consumers at the supermarket. His suggestion, which doubled as a shameless attempt to buy into the product he represents, left a bad taste in the mouths of everyday Americans.
The CEO of Kellogg’s recommended that American families serve cereal for dinner to make some money, arguing that the message is not tone-deaf but actually in line with what many Americans are already doing. In a small segment on CNBC, CEO Gary Pilnick laid out the experience gap between the wealthy elite and the rest of America and the real financial strain placed on the country by President Biden’s inflation.
While many Americans are no strangers to eating cereal for dinner to save money, the idea that this should be celebrated, if not actively advertised, as a way to address the current administration’s poor economic policies is not only self-serving in the case of Kellogg and its CEO, but it misses the bigger picture. Grab a spoon and your favorite cereal box as we dive into this latest public relations disaster from a major brand.
Let them eat cornflakes
Kellogg CEO Gary Pilnick created quite a storm with his remarks on CNBC. Discussing the brand’s latest ad campaign aimed at convincing Americans to skip a healthy dinner of meat, vegetables and the occasional starch in exchange for a bowl of cereal, he explained:
“We need to reach consumers where they are, so let’s advertise dinner cereals.”
He went on to state that:
“The cereal category has always been quite affordable and tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure.”
You would bet that its wording could have been a little more refined, but it gets worse. Mr. Pilnick continued:
“…dinner cereal is something that is probably more trending now, and we expect that to continue because that consumer is under pressure.”
RELATED: Bud Light Humiliated as It Loses Crown as Super Bowl’s Best-Selling Beer to Mexican Crown
But the sugar on top of this insulting bowl of Rice Krispies came when Mr. Pilnick claimed that the price of a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit is “less than a dollar,” explaining:
“If you think about the cost of grain for a family compared to what they might otherwise make, it will be much more affordable.”
What a new idea. Let’s take a look at how much it costs Americans to feed their families these days and see if Mr. Pilnick has his finger on the pulse of the American consumer.
Are you shopping, brother?
Mr. Pilnick’s claim that a bowl of cereal with milk and fresh fruit costs less than a dollar is ridiculous. I am an expert grocery shopper as I need to feed a family of four.
I don’t know which grocery store Mr. Pilnick shops at because the cost of fruit alone is staggering, not to mention milk and a box of his cereal. To give you an idea, today, when I went shopping at my local chain store, what he suggested as an alternative for dinner cost me the following:
- $3.79 – carton of 2% milk.
- $5.49 – 18-ounce box of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats
- $1.99 – 1 pound of apples
Considering that the above would barely last my family a week for breakfast alone, it’s easy to say that Mr. Pilnick’s claim that a bowl of cereal with milk and fruit would cost less than a dollar is a confusing calculation. I would need to buy double the amount I bought today plus have to deal with my kids complaining about eating the same thing for breakfast and dinner every day.
Additionally, the cost of cereals and baked goods has increased by more than 27% since the start of the pandemic, and according to the Consumer Price Index, the average price of cereals in the United States increased by 6% in 2021 and by a staggering 13% in 2022. Overall, Americans are spending more on food than they have in the past three decades.
In 2022, Americans spent more than 11% of their disposable income on food. At the end of last year, Americans were paying 20% more for groceries than in 2021. According to Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, this year, US families had to pay $213 more per month for the same goods and services compared to last year.
The answer to financial “pressure,” as Mr. Pilnick called it, is no more overpriced Fruit Loops and less grilled chicken with broccoli and potatoes. The answer is an administration that doesn’t blame inflation on the symptoms of its inadequate policies, but actually does something to make chicken, broccoli, and potatoes, among all the other foods Americans buy, more affordable.
RELATED: Young woman discovers how the world of work works in epic Tik Tok meltdown
If Mr. Pilnick wants to spend his $1 million a year base salary on dinner cereal, he certainly can; this family is opting for the coupon and starting to grow their own produce. In the long run it will be cheaper than eating a bowl of his company’s cereal twice a day.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
The Political Insider ranks #3 on Feedspot’s “100 Best Political Blogs and Websites.”
