Kellogg breakfast cereals sold in different regions contain varying amounts of salt, with those sold in the UK and Ireland containing more than three-times the amount of salt as the same cereals sold in the US, campaigners have revealed.

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According to figures published by World Action on Salt and Health (Wash), Kellogg cereals aimed at adults and sold in the UK and Ireland contain an average 2.25 grams of salt per 100 grams. Cereals sold in Canada contain the second most salt – 2.15 grams per 100 grams. The region that contains the least salt in cereal is the US, where cereals contain an average of 0.19 grams of salt per 100 grams.


“These huge variations in salt contents show that the excuses of the food industry – that it is technically too difficult to reduce salt, and that customers will not accept the reductions – are rubbish,” Wash project-co-ordinator Naomi Campbell said. “Wash research shows food companies have reduced salt levels in some countries – we want them to reduce the salt in all their products in all their markets.”


Wash is calling on multinational food companies to cut salt to the same level in their products sold across the world.


“Kellogg UK has worked with other cereal manufacturers to achieve salt reductions of more than 33% since 1998.  A portion of breakfast cereal generally contains between 0 and 11% of the guideline daily amount for salt.” Kellogg said. However, according to Wash adult cereals sold in the UK and Ireland contain an average 13.50% of the World Health Organisations recommended daily intake.

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“Some regional discrepancies exist between similar products around the world, largely reflecting the variances in consumer taste preferences, traditions and ingredient supplies of the markets,” Kellogg added.

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