Froot Loops Is in Hot Water

Kellogg's cereal brand Froot Loops is facing boycott calls for offering consumers a digital library of children's books that promote equality, diversity, and inclusion (ED&I).

Boxes of the cereal in Canada include a promotional tag to a free online library. Purchasers and their families can use the resource to learn how incredibly colorful and diverse the world can be. Newsweek has contacted representatives of Kellogg's via email for comment.

Per the corresponding website, the library "was created with the help of our partners at BGC Canada [formerly known as Boys & Girls Clubs of Canada] and Kids Can Press to help families explore diverse topics." The books include themes on racial and cultural inclusivity, as well as kindness and acceptance.

However, the new initiative has sparked boycott calls on social media, as users call for the brand to "get the Bud Light treatment." This refers to a boycott of the beer brand among a faction of detractors who objected to its brief marketing partnership with transgender TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney earlier this year. The months-long fallout saw several other brands hit with boycott calls for such actions as supporting LGBTQ+ people.

End Wokeness, an account on X, formerly Twitter, with more than 1.9 million followers, shared photos of the Froot Loop boxes in question, alongside information regarding the brand's digital library. "Fruit Loops is now encouraging kids to go online and read their free library of woke propaganda," read a caption alongside the images.

Libs of TikTok, an account that has more than 2.6 million followers, shared a post that read: "Fruit Loops promotes free access to a digital library on their cereal boxes for kids.

"The library offers a range of books to teach kids themes of 'equity, diversity, and inclusion.' @KelloggsUS wants to indoctrinate your children with breakfast cereal. Stop giving them your money!"

Country musician John Rich, who was among those to turn his back on Bud Light, brought attention to Libs of TikTok's post, writing to his own army of followers: "Hey parents, do your kids like Kellogg's cereal?"

"Fruit Loops has gone woke and it's horrible for you," another X user wrote. "I think we should boycott Fruit Loops for our health and to punish them for going woke."

"Fruit Loops diving into woke propaganda? Instead of feeding kids breakfast, now they're feeding them nonsense," commented another. "Stick to cereals, not social engineering."

Echoing that sentiment, a third posted: "Fruit Loops should stick to cereal, not pushing woke agendas on kids. Let children be kids, not targets of indoctrination."

"Another company to give the Bud Light treatment to," one detractor wrote, while conservative author Janie Johnson added: "I am going to miss my Froot Loops. Stop the madness. Protect our kids. Do your thing."

Amid the backlash, a host of other X users mocked the outrage displayed, with one account posting: "How sad of a person do you have to be to get upset over Kelloggs giving kids access to free digital books, and believing its 'indoctrinating?' I remember when cereal boxes did give away books inside of them."

"Oh no!!!!! Not equity, diversity, and inclusion!!! How dare they!!" another wrote in response to one of the outraged commenters.

Another wrote that those lashing out at Kellogg's were bigoted, telling them to "shut up, you're mad you can't own anyone."

Kellogg's had previously been subjected to boycott calls in June, after its Frosted Flakes mascot Tony the Tiger posed for photos with social-media influencer Mulvaney at the Tony Awards, several weeks after her Bud Light backlash.

Responding to the backlash, a spokesperson for Kellogg's told Newsweek in a statement: "Tony and Frosted Flakes were an official partner of this year's 76th Annual Tony Awards. Tony the Tiger was at the Tony Awards to celebrate Broadway's biggest night.

"Tony walked the red carpet at the event and took photos there and backstage with nominees and other guests, many of whom have been lifelong Frosted Flakes fans," the statement added.

In April, Kellogg Company said that it was on track to achieve its own ED&I goals behind the scenes, with regards to gender and racial representation.

The company has set a global management goal of having a 50/50 gender parity at management level by the end of 2025. By the same deadline, it is also aiming to bring the number of racially underrepresented talent at management level up to 25 percent.