Corn Fakes

The report argues that Kellogg's has prioritised short-term cost savings over public health in Mexico by reducing the fortification of its cereals. By modelling the health impacts of removing iron, calcium, and folic acid, the authors estimate that the company saved approximately $85 million over five years, while the minimum cumulative social cost to Mexico exceeded $250 million.

• Kellogg's reduced or removed a significant portion of micronutrients from its most popular cereal brands in Mexico between 2013 and 2019, with the largest decreases seen in vitamins C, B3, and B9.
• The removal of three key micronutrients (iron, calcium, and folic acid) resulted in an estimated cost-saving for Kellogg's of nearly $17 million per year, totaling approximately $85 million over five years.
• The minimum cumulative social cost to Mexico due to the removal of iron, calcium, and folic acid is estimated at over $250 million over five years, meaning every dollar saved by Kellogg's destroys at least $3 in value to Mexican society.
• The removal of iron is associated with long-term social costs for two-year-old children, including cognitive loss, behavioural problems, and depression, with a total annual loss from iron-deficient anaemia estimated at $13 million.
• Folate saw the largest average decrease (36 percentage points) across Kellogg's brands, increasing risks of neural tube defects (NTDs) and low birth weight (LBW) in newborns, as well as anaemia in toddlers.
• The report notes that Kellogg's cost savings from defortification are small compared to its 2018 advertising spend of $752 million.

APA

Changing Markets Foundation (2019). Corn Fakes. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CORN-FAKES-ENG-FINAL.pdf

Chicago

Changing Markets Foundation. Corn Fakes. 2019. https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CORN-FAKES-ENG-FINAL.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Changing Markets Foundation |title=Corn Fakes |date=November 2019 |url=https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CORN-FAKES-ENG-FINAL.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{changingmarketsfoundation2019corn, author = {{Changing Markets Foundation}}, title = {{Corn Fakes}}, institution = {Changing Markets Foundation}, year = {2019}, month = nov, url = {https://changingmarkets.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/CORN-FAKES-ENG-FINAL.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }