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Kellogg’s removes rice… from Rice Krispies due to ‘changing weather conditions’
Kellogg’s has replaced whole rice grains in UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops with flour-based ingredients, citing weather-related problems with rice quality and supply. The change matters for people with coeliac disease or wheat allergies: both cereals now list wheat gluten as an ingredient.
Rice Krispies is made with rice flour, while Coco Pops uses rice and corn flour. Kellogg’s says taste, appearance and texture were assessed, and that nutritional levels, including fibre, vitamin D and iron, remain unchanged; both cereals are still classified as non-HFSS. The recipes in the US and Canada are unchanged, while UK Rice Krispies sales have reportedly been falling.
In short
- Rice Krispies and Coco Pops now use flour instead of whole rice.
- Both cereals now contain wheat gluten.
- US and Canadian recipes remain unchanged.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Kellogg’s can reasonably argue that changing weather has made rice quality or supply less reliable, and that using flour-based ingredients helps maintain production and product consistency. The company says it assessed taste, appearance and texture and kept nutritional levels unchanged, allowing shoppers to continue buying familiar cereals despite supply pressures.
The case against
Consumers can reasonably object that replacing rice with wheat-containing ingredients changes what the cereals are and makes them unsuitable for people with coeliac disease or wheat allergies. Even if the company considers the nutritional profile unchanged, shoppers may feel the change deserves clearer prominence and question why the UK recipes differ from those in the US and Canada.