Kellogg's Answer About Artificial Colors Now a Softer Hue

I called Kellogg's toll-free phone number this morning to ask why the company is still using petroleum-based artificial colors in its advertised-as-healthy Nutri-Grain cereal bars.
In the past, when I asked this question of junk food companies, I'd be given a stock answer along the lines of "we have many products that appeal to many consumers," "consumers want brighter colors" or "the colors are approved by the FDA [Food and Drug Administration]."
Since Pepperidge Farm (owned by Campbell Soup Company) has dropped the artificial colors from its colored goldfish and Yoplait (General Mills) has done the same from its Trix yogurt, I wondered where Kellogg's stood.
Expecting an evasive answer, I was met with surprise when the customer service representative I spoke with energetically told me—in response to my question that only asked about artificial colors—that "Kellogg's is definitely taking a look at moving away from GMOs [genetically modified organisms], artificial colors and artificial sweeteners. I can't give you a time frame, but these are things that Kellogg's is definitely trying to move away from."
Wow.
Granted, Kellogg's may be blowing smoke up my bum while it still uses the artificial colors, but the fact that the above is now the scripted answer—instead of "we don't give a crap about you, your kids or the horse you rode in on"—is quite telling and hopefully a sign of better things to come.
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