Kellogg struck a deal to end legal action in the US over its claim that Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal improved the cognitive functions of children.

In a proposed settlement, the US cereal giant will pay US$4m to end the 2009 class-action lawsuit over the claims, which were made in an ad campaigns over four years ago.

The company was taken to court over its assertion that Frosted Mini-Wheats improved children’s memory and attentiveness, which the plaintiffs said violated advertising rules and was not supported by “any competent clinical evidence”. The claims were made in advertising campaigns that ran in 2008 and 2009.

“Kellogg Company has a long history of responsible advertising. This class action settlement pertains to an advertising campaign that ran approximately four years ago. We long ago adjusted our communication to incorporate the Federal Trade Commission’s guidance,” a spokesperson for Kellogg told just-food. A hearing on the settlement is scheduled for September.