Kellogg Company Settles Mini-Wheats Cereal Lawsuit

BATTLE CREEK, MICH.Kellogg Company has reached a $4 million agreement to settle a class-action lawsuit for false advertising, one of the law firms representing the class announced Wednesday.

If approved by the court, the agreement would put to rest a lawsuit that alleged Kellogg falsely advertised its Mini-Wheats cereal could improve the attentiveness, memory and other cognitive functions of children to levels that are not supported by competent clinical evidence, according to the law firm Blood Hurst & O'Reardon LLP.

Consumers covered under the settlement would be eligible for cash refunds for up to three boxes of cereal purchased during the time of the alleged false advertising: between January 28, 2008 and October 1, 2009.

"This settlement represents an excellent recovery for consumers," said Timothy Blood of Blood Hurst & O'Reardon, LLP, one of the lawyers representing consumers, in a statement.

Kellogg had denied any wrongdoing, according to Blood Hurst & O'Reardon.

"Kellogg Company has a long history of responsible advertising. This class action settlement pertains to an advertising campaign that ran approximately four years ago," Kris Charles, Kellogg Company spokesperson, said in an emailed statement Wednesday. "We long ago adjusted our communication to incorporate FTCs guidance."