A word to the wise: if there is an economic crisis and the cost of food has reached astronomical new heights, maybe don’t be the head of a multi-billion dollar corporation and tell people to eat cereal for dinner to help make ends meet.
That’s something the CEO of Kellogg’s is learning the hard way after comments he made about the growing economic concerns surrounding food inflation and many U.S. citizens’ inability to feed their families without government assistance.
The Guardian highlighted how Gary Pilnick, Chief Executive Officer for food manufacturer Kellogg’s, spoke live on the CNBC program The Squawk. In his interview, he commented on the growing fiscal crisis that’s laying waste to so many families’ finances in the country in a moment that many people compared to Marie Antoinette’s “Let Them Eat Cake.
Not to mention, the average cost of a box of cereal has shot up over the years, not making it as cost-effective of a dinner alternative as Pilnick may’ve made it out to be.
“‘The cereal category has always been quite affordable, and it tends to be a great destination when consumers are under pressure,” Pilnick said amid a discussion about high grocery prices. “If you think about the cost of cereal for a family versus what they might otherwise do, that’s going to be much more affordable.'”
Once Pilnick’s comments went viral online, like TikTok, and Reddit’s r/eattherich sub, the reactionary outrage seems to have carried on into the real world. A call for the boycott of Kellogg’s products reverberated across the internet and transferred to store shelves.
At least, that looks like what’s going on in a viral TikTok posted by user Marc Fazon (@marcfazon). He was shocked to see boxes of popular Kellogg’s cereals: Frosted Flakes, Honey Nut Cheerios, Froot Loops, and Cheerios for 99 cents a box.
He says, “Yo, this is the cheapest I’ve ever seen cereal be…ninety-nine cent, nah, the protest is working y’all, keep doing it.”
@marcfazon In 40 years of living I aint never seen cereal this cheap they doing anything to get their profit back. #kelloggs #boycott #ceoistrash #dontsuport #protest ♬ original sound – Marc just here to clown Fazon
Fazon adds in a caption, “In 40 years of living I aint never seen cereal this cheap they doing anything to get their profit back.”
Commenters echoed his sentiment to keep the boycott of purchasing Kellogg’s going strong, like this person who wrote, “This is just phase one. Grocery stores are trying to cut losses. kelloggs won’t feel it until 2-3 months in. KEEP IT GOING!”
Someone else mentioned a specific ask they have as part of the Kellogg’s ban, writing, “Make Kelloggs give the US the same ingredients as the UK!”
While another person was shocked at what appeared to be an out-of-the-blue boycott: “The downfall of Kellogg’s was not on my bingo card.”
The heart of the boycott was encapsulated, it seems, in a comment left by another person who wrote about this dream revenge scenario.
“Wouldn’t it be nice if they lost so much money that they had to eat cereal for dinner,” they quipped.
According to Debt.org, 37.9 million Americans are living below the poverty line. Pilnick’s annual salary is approximately $1 million per year, not counting the $4 million in “incentive compensation” he received on top of that, according to The Sun.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Kellogg’s and Fazon via email for further information.