Joint statement with CSPI
CSPI worked with Mondelēz Global LLC, the owner of the brands Ritz and Premium, to provide
additional information disclosing the percentage of whole grain on the label for its Ritz “Baked
With Whole Wheat” Crackers, Ritz “Baked with Whole Wheat” Fresh Stacks Crackers, and
Premium “With Whole Grain” Saltine Crackers.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture MyPlate guidance for healthy diets recommends that half of
all grains eaten by consumers be whole grains. In order for consumers to make informed
decisions about the grains they consume, CSPI firmly believes consumers should know the
percentage of whole grain content in grain foods. Simply stating a product is made with whole
grains is not enough for consumers to follow the MyPlate recommendation.
Beginning today, Mondelēz is rolling out new labels for its Ritz and Premium whole grain
products (displayed above and below), prominently stating on the front of the package the
percentage of their grains that are whole grains. These percentages are: Ritz “Baked With Whole
Wheat” Crackers and Fresh Stacks Crackers (44%) and Premium “With Whole Grain” Saltine
Crackers (34%). In addition, where the claim “baked with whole wheat” or “with whole grain” appears on the products, the words “baked with” and “with” will now be more prominent (i.e., at
least 75 percent as large as the words “whole wheat” or “whole grain”).
“The labeling changes that Mondelēz has agreed to make on its Ritz and Premium whole grain
products are a significant step forward,” said CSPI Litigation Director Lisa Mankofsky. “This
new and improved labeling will help consumers make informed decisions about the grains they
consume and enable them to build a diet that meets the 50% whole grain recommendation. We
hope that other manufacturers of whole grain products will follow suit.”
