People are only discovering the truth about this popular kid's cereal

Some Aussies are stunned that they never noticed it before, while others have put their judgy pants on.

2 min read

March 15, 2024 - 10:44AM

Lifestyle

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In a shocking revelation that has rattled Aussie cereal enthusiasts, the beloved multicoloured breakfast treat is not, as we've all been led to believe, 'Fruit Loops', but rather 'Froot Loops'.

No, this is not a drill. You can verify it for yourself by checking your pantry.

Take a closer look at the box. The word ‘fruit’ is spelled as ‘froot’, with the two ‘o’s’ in ‘froot’ sneakily represented by two cereal loops. This is why many of us may have simply read the actual letters and let our brains fill in the rest.

But don’t worry if you fell for this trap - many Aussies have too.

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Image: Kellogg's

The common misconception about Froot Loops

People have been sharing their disbelief and even their own theories about the brand name online.

Some suggest that Kellogg’s had a name change, and it was once ‘Fruit Loops,’ while others believe it's related to a lawsuit about the product's lack of actual fruit content.

One baffled Reddit user wrote: “What the heck, it’s Froot Loops?”

Another chimed in, “Hang on, when did Fruit Loops change its name?!”

And someone else added, “What a ridiculous spelling.”

A quick survey around the Kidspot office mirrored this sentiment, with Leah exclaiming, “WHAT?! OMG, how did I not know this?”

Then Elly added, “You’re kidding. I always assumed it was Fruit Loops but never thought to check.”

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'The Mandela Effect' and collective misremembering

So, what’s the deal? Why do so many people believe in the incorrect spelling?

Well, it turns out that it has nothing to do with a lawsuit, and the Paxton v Kellogg’s one that’s often cited is misinformation and has nothing to do with the spelling.

There was also no name change — Froot Loops has been Froot Loops since it launched in 1963.

It turns out that the widespread misbelief is attributed to something called ‘The Mandela Effect’.

Fiona Broome, who coined the term, describes it as a phenomenon where people think they have a clear memory of something but it never actually happened in reality.

It’s a quirky trick of our memories that explains why so many people share the same false recollection about something.

Interesting, huh?

"I knew it"

In saying this, a few Kidspot team members claim to have been immune to The Mandela Effect and say they’ve known the truth all along.

“I knew it, you know how? Because I saw it on the box,” Emily quipped.

And Nama claimed it was “so obvious.”

“The whole reason they taste so good is because there’s no FRUIT, just sugar!”

Then Jordanna said she used this knowledge to get out of buying cereal for her son at the supermarket. “I say to him, ‘Look how it’s spelt. It’s not fruit. Put it back!”

Finally, Carly concluded, “Anyone who didn’t know it was Froot Loops is a fruit loop.”