Irish cereal producers launch campaign to target teenagers for breakfast growth

Ireland remains one of the largest consumers of breakfast products in the world, however teenagers are the worst offenders for skipping the meal, according to new data on the Irish cereals market. The data, published yesterday by the Irish Breakfast Cereal Association (IBCA), is part of the first ‘Back to Breakfast Week’, which takes place this week.

According to the research, carried out for IBCA by the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA), cereal with milk remains the most popular choice for breakfast, followed by bread and juice.
Professor Albert Flynn from the IUNA, which spearheads special food studies, said that 96% of children eat breakfast daily, but over 60% of older teenagers (16-19 years) skip the morning meal.

Prof Flynn also played down criticism about sugar content in cereal products, adding that they were ‘not a concern for health’ and did not contribute to obesity rates amongst younger people.
Speaking to RI at the launch yesterday morning, chairman of IBCA, John Flahavan, said that there are a lot of positives from this new research.

“It is good for the main players to get behind the campaign and promote the positive impact of eating breakfast. The fact that so many Irish people eat breakfast is good but we need to continue highlighting that cereals are nutritional and good for overall health.”

IBCA was established in 1992 and comprises the three main cereal suppliers in Ireland including Flahavan’s, Kellog’s and Nestlé Cereals.