A disgraced UK Labour MP has launched an attack on Kellogg's Coco Pops, questioning why they are marketed with a brown monkey when the brand's Rice Bubbles have white children on the box.
Fiona Onasanya contacted Kellogg's for an explanation, the BBC reports - but after no response, she contacted an unofficial Kellogg's account on Twitter on Tuesday.
"@KelloggsUK, as you are yet to reply to my email - Coco Pops and Rice Krispies have the composition (except for the fact CP's are brown and chocolate flavoured)... so I was wondering why Rice Krispies have three white boys representing the brand and Coco Pops have a monkey?" she wrote.
A Kellogg's spokesperson said the monkey was created in the 1980s "to highlight the playful personality of the brand". They also noted Kellog's had "tigers, giraffes, crocodiles, elves and a narwhal" on its cereal boxes.
Earlier in June, Kellogg's in the US released a statement supporting the black community, which they posted on Instagram.
"Kellogg stands in support of the black community. We do not tolerate discrimination, believe all individuals should be treated with respect; and speak up when we see behaviors that don't match our values. We're committing an additional $1M to NAACP, a long-time partner."
Onsanya was expelled from the Labour Party and lost her seat in 2019 after lying about a speeding ticket. She was jailed for the offence for three months.
