Kellogg\'s Email Campaign - Join Us

Here's the response I got from Kellogs:
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From: [email]kelloggsus@speedymail.com[/email] Save Address
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Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 14:46:10 -0400
To: [email]jamamama@ivillage.com[/email]
Subject: Contact Us Feedback - Kellogg Consumer Affairs [T2001032600G9]
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Thank you for giving Kellogg Company an opportunity to respond to your concerns
about the way we label our products for peanuts and other potentially allergenic
ingredients. We share your concerns and have worked diligently to provide clear
information on our package labels so that consumers understand what ingredients
are contained in our products.
Since January of 1999, all Kellogg USA cereals and convenience foods packages
have labeled potentially allergenic ingredients in a separate box directly below
the ingredient list on the Nutrition Facts side panel of each of our products.
Because product formulations can change at any time, we encourage our consumers
to check the ingredient statement on each package they purchase for the most
up-to-date information on the ingredients contained in that product.
We hope that this clarifies our position and appreciate your continued patronage
of our brands.
Kellogg Company
Consumer Affairs

There are many other threads on this Kelloggs email and contact campaign such as on the Main Discussion Board. After you read this entire post, you could do a search by using the "search" feature on these boards to locate other threads and more information about what is going on in regards to this campaign etc. I have also requested at the end of this post that those members working on this issue add links to the threads they want you to see on this Kellogg's issue.
Here is the text from the email we just received today from Kelloggs which is in response to PeanutAllergy.Com member's requests for more precise ingredients labels on Kelloggs products. I have to admit this latest email response from Kelloggs is well written and may work to satisfy those not aware of the problems with their current labeling practices. For those who have not been with us and following the problems with labeling in the United States, I want you to know that we have been working on labeling problems for many years and often receive responses from manufacturers that appear, to an untrained reader, to be a satisfactory response. The manufacturers often employ lawyers and other professionals to respond to consumers requests and the responses are often very well written, although they may dance around an issue and never really address the topic.
While we appreciate the effort some manufacturers, such as Kelloggs, have taken so far and we express our gratitude for working with us and others to make our lives safer, we do however need more from many manufacturers if we desire a better and safer quality of life.
>>>
Chris:
Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. As promised, I am sending
along a message that affirms our position as I related it to you this morning.
Thank you for sharing this information with your membership.
We certainly understand and share the concerns expressed by your membership.
Kellogg Company has been one of the leaders in the food industry in devising
manufacturing processes to reduce the risk of peanuts and other allergens from
contaminating allergen-free products. We have worked extensively with allergy
organizations and research groups so that we understand the seriousness and
complexities of peanut and other allergies.
We regret that our Consumer Affairs group may have been the source of confusing
information regarding the date labeling and lettered plant codes provided on
each of our products. While the specific information given to the consumer was
correct at the time it was given, it was never our intent to use the letters to
communicate that a product was produced in a ?peanut free? plant. Products can
be moved to alternate production facilities to meet our sales demand.
Therefore, we do not recommend that your members use these letters as a guide.
Finally, we believe that our present allergen labeling process provides the
best, most accurate information currently available for our consumers. It
offers consumers the ability to see, at the time of purchase or consumption,
whether or not an allergenic ingredient is present in the product.
Having said this, you should know that we have a multi-functional Allergy Task
Force that is actively reviewing our labeling process in light of the many new
products that have been added to the KELLOGG?S

Chris - thank you so much for getting to the bottom of this issue. Here are my thoughts to your above question - just my personal opinion.
We got what we wanted, somewhat. We now know their exact labeling procedure:
(1) They DO NOT label for cross-contamination. No "may contain" labels.
(2) They DO use plain english allergy labeling for their products, excluding items containing "traces of...".
(3) Their position is "We will consult our experts and get back to you". Whatever, but at least they know we're watching them.
(4) My comfort zone has changed on Kelloggs USA products - I reserve judgement on Kelloggs Canada until I speak with them about this specific issue (currently waiting for a phone call back from them).
(5) I feel we should call this mission accomplished and a partial success. With the new FDA report and us breathing down their neck - something's gotta give, and soon. What a downer that Kelloggs isn't the paragon of virtue that most of us thought, but I'm willing to give them the few months they asked for to research this issue further.
(6) One of our members is currently finalizing a media campaign - I'll leave it to her to give everyone details, but we can certainly include our experiences with Kelloggs USA while addressing the media. Actually, when I say "us" I really mean Americans - the media campaign will use the momentum of the latest FDA findings, and the FDA has no jurisdiction in Canada. Just my thoughts here, but I think media campaigns are one thing that should be country specific, due to completely different legislative approaches to manufacturing.
**At least, now we know EXACTLY what their position is.**
While it isn't a positive outcome for us, it is a good outcome nonetheless. Everyone else's thoughts on this, please? I would like to write an unbiased (OK, I'm somewhat biased, but I will only write the facts) summary of this issue for all PA.com members to read, so that they may make their own judgements on the safety of Kelloggs products. Everyone?
[This message has been edited by Cayley's Mom (edited April 05, 2001).]

I would just like to add that we do have other manufacturers to contact. While we didn't get everything we needed from Kelloggs, other companies need to know we're out there, and waiting for definitive answers. I feel we've used up our clout with Kelloggs, for the moment, but I'm very keen to do a follow-up on them in 2 or 3 months to see which, if any, changes are taking place as a result of either our campaign or the FDA report.
Anyone else feel this way? Not letting go for good, just for the moment.

"...it was never our intent to use the letters to communicate that a product was produced in a <> plant."!!!!!
Wow...this statement blew me away! Only when they're called to the table do they finally admit that? How does everyone here feel hearing this after years of being told about using the K codes to find the pn-free plants?!!! X(
It's also very telling that Chris was contacted by a lower ranking Kellogg employee as opposed to someone in senior management.
I think our next step should either be:
1. a media campaign calling attention to Kellogg's position of " [our] present allergen labeling process provides the best, most accurate information currently available for our consumers" - NOT!
2. a new campaign toward a new company on the list
[This message has been edited by arachide (edited April 05, 2001).]

I'd like to give them 3-4 months, then issue a follow-up message. And I am definitely all for a media campaign, maybe something to dovetail with Allergy Awareness Week (5/6-12, I think).
Amy

At this point - using the information we received from Kelloggs, I will no longer purchase products manufactured by Kelloggs.
Their final answer was not and is not in my "comfort zone" when it comes to the life of my child.
I will not buy anymore of their products until they feel a life is worth more than the trouble it takes to print an accurate food label.
I suggest we take a survey (by posting on the board) of how many customers they will lose until they inform us that they changed and improved their food labels.
It is commendable what you all have done with this Kelloggs campaign. Thank you to my peanutallergy.com "family".
The very conservative and approximate number of customers they will lose on a daily bases from our:
family - 4
friends - 15
relatives - 40
school classroom - 22
Pre-school - 26
church - 20
T-ball - 10
soccer - 10
I know this list could be bigger, but my point is that they are dealing with a far reaching group of people. They, also, should realize that the schools and sports events have snacks every day and or every game - so this is not one family giving up Frosted Flakes is is a "whole village"
One last question on this post: Would it be worth our time to contact the stockholders relation people to let them know that Kelloggs has a serious and life threatening problem with the labeling?
OK, I really hope I didn't upset anyone - my idea here is only to try to provide Kelloggs with a picture of how their profit could get hit if all of us PA families and friends stop buying Kelloggs.
Thanks for all the great advice and help!
Sue in Sunny Arizona

I am really disappointed in what started out to be a positive campaign turned into this. I have never been an activist or an extremist, but I do not plan to buy anymore Kellogg's products. Until they can change their policies in such a way that I would again feel comfortable feeding their food to my pa son, I will be taking a little vacation from Kellogg's.
I think this campaign showed that we do have a louder voice when we all "yell" together. We did get a response from Kellogg's--even if it's not what we expected or wanted to hear. I also think we should check up on them in a couple of months . . . just so they know that we haven't forgotten about this! Deanna

You can be sure I will not buy any Kellogg's products for my family now that we know they don't put cross-contamination warnings on their packaging. And I will make sure they can't come into my son's classroom, as well. I'd like to at least have that long-shot for my son to outgrow this life-threatening allergy. I know our family and friends will want to support us by not buying Kellogg's products on principle.

The two points I came away with after reading the Kelloggs response is:
1. We CANNOT rely on the KB & KL codes as a guarantee that the product was processed in a pn/tn free plant.
2. Even though they are aware of the concept of cross contamination, they are unable/unwilling to mark possible contaminated products as such at this time.
I definitely think this campaign was a success. Kelloggs posted on our boards and answered our questions:
1. Safe products-If you believe a safe product is one with no risk of cross contamination, there is no Kelloggs product that is safe.
2. Changing their labeling practices-They are currently reviewing their labeling process. They will update us on any changes.
Ok we didn't acheive higher goals such as a promise of pn/tn free plants, or a promise that they will immediately change their labeling to add "may contain" warnings when appropriate. But hopefully we made them think about it, and we definitely voiced our opinion. I agree we should check back in a few months and see if they have made a decision to implement any changes.