Sugar levels in children's cereals are still 'shocking' reveals watchdog

Published on Tuesday 28 April 2009 23:00

LITTLE effort appears to have been made to reduce sugar in children's cereals nearly three years after a damning report, a consumer watchdog said today.

A study by Which? said there had been some progress since it reported on the healthiness of breakfast cereals in 2006.

But it said sugar levels were "shockingly high" and it was "particularly worrying" that so many high-sugar cereals were still marketed to children.

A survey by the organisation of 100 cereals bought in January from the main supermarkets – excluding hot cereals and muesli – found a lower proportion of high-sugar cereals overall compared with 2006.

But only 8 per cent qualified for a Food Standards Agency "green light" for low levels of sugar, with 31 of the 100 cereals examined containing more than four teaspoons of sugar per recommended serving.

Only one of the 28 cereals specifically marketed to children was found not to be high in sugar, the consumer group said.

The report highlighted high sugar levels in Kellogg's Coco Pops Moons and Stars, Frosties and Ricicles which were 37 per cent pure sugar.

Morrisons Choco Crackles, listed by Which? as the most sugary, at 38.4g per 100g, has been reformulated, the supermarket chain said. It now has a sugar content of 36g per 100g, the chain said, bringing it into line with similar products.

The chain also pointed out that Morrisons Honey Nut Cornflakes – in the list of top 10 worst salt "offenders" compiled by Which? – has also been reformulated and now has a salt content of 0.7g per 100g, a "significant" reduction on the 1.8g per 100g shown in the Which? report.

Many brands thought of as healthy, such as Kellogg's All Bran, Bran Flakes and Special K, failed to impress the researchers. They said starting the day with a recommended serving of Special K would be "almost the sugar equivalent" of waking up to a serving of Tesco Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Premium Ice Cream.

In 2006, Which? published a study showing that more than three-quarters of the 275 cereals tested had high sugar levels. The figure rose to 88 per cent of the 52 products specifically targeted at children.

Today's report Going Against the Grain, said there had been some "positive progress" since 2006, with the most progress made in reducing salt levels. Eight of the 100 cereals were classed as high in salt in 2009, compared with almost a fifth of the 275 sampled in 2006.

But Which? said Tesco Special Flakes had the same proportion of salt as Walkers' salted crisps.

The report called for a ban on marketing cereals high in sugar, salt or fat to children. It was "disappointing", it added, that cartoon characters were used to promote "less healthy" cereals to children.

Sue Davies, chief policy adviser at Which?, said: "Breakfast is important, and some cereals deserve their healthy image, but most simply don't. It's especially shocking that almost all those targeted at children are less healthy."

A Tesco spokesman said: "Over the last three years Tesco has removed nearly 3,000 tons of salt and 2,500 tons of fat from its own-label products."

A spokeswoman for Kellogg's said: "

Whilst this grabs headlines and sells magazines, it shouldn't be confused with sound scientific research that consistently shows that people who eat breakfast cereals, regardless of sugar content, are slimmer than those who don't."

The Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers, whose members include Kellogg's, Weetabix and Dorset Cereals, said people examining the nutritional content of breakfast cereals should look at the portion size and not 100g samples.

Morrisons said it "has a concerted programme of development on its own-label brands and both of the findings highlighted in the Which? report are from old products which have been completely reformulated.

A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said the salt content of Sainsbury's Be Good To Yourself Balance had been reduced by more than half since the test was carried out by Which?

BITTER SWEET TRUTH ABOUT BREAKFAST

TOP 10 SUGAR

1. Morrisons Choco Crackles (38.4g) (Now reformulated to 36g per 100g]

2. Kellogg's Coco Pops Moons & Stars (37g)

3. Kellogg's Frosties (37g)

4. Kellogg's Ricicles (37g)

5. Sainsbury's Choco Rice Pops (36g)

6. Tesco Choco Snaps (36g)

7. Nestle Cookie Crisp (35.3g)

8. Nestle Cheerios Honey (35.1g)

9. Kellogg's Crunchy Nut (35g)

10. Nestle Nesquik (35g)

TOP 10 SALT

1. Tesco Special Flakes (2.0g)

2. Kellogg's Corn Flakes (1.8g)

3. Kellogg's Honey Loops (1.8g)

4. Morrison's Honey Nut Corn Flakes (1.8g) (now reformulated with a salt content of 0.7g per 100g]

5. Whole Earth Organic Corn Flakes (1.8g)

6. Kellogg's Rice Krispies (1.65g)

7. Sainsbury's Be Good To Yourself Balance (1.60g) (now reformulated with a salt content of 0.73g per 100g]

8. Tesco Corn Flakes (1.60g)

9. Kellogg's Fruit and Fibre (1.4g)

10. Kellogg's Bran Flakes/Sultana Bran (1.3g)