Breakfast cereals in focus: striking differences between claims and consumer perception

How crunchy should muesli be? And how many nuts do consumers actually expect in a portion of breakfast cereal? We examined four varieties of crunchy muesli with nuts: two national brands and two private labels. We used the Full Product Scan, a combination of technical product analysis and consumer research. This provides insight into both composition and consumer appreciation. The results? Clear and directly applicable.

Fewer nuts than promised

For all four products, the communicated nut percentage was higher than the share of visible nuts we measured in the final product. It is possible that additional nuts were processed into the muesli, but these were not included in this count. For private label 1, the deviation was very small (8.6% claimed versus 8.4% measured), and for private label 2 the difference was also limited (10.0% versus 9.1%). For the national brands, however, the deviation was considerably larger (Brand A1: 11.0% claimed versus 5.9% measured; Brand A2: 10.7% versus 4.7%). Consumers across all products indicated that there was too much muesli and too few nuts. Only for the national brands did this factor also affect overall product appreciation. In general, panelists found the nut flavor of all muesli varieties rather weak. We also observed clear structural differences. The private labels contained more large clusters (over 25 mm), while the national brands on average had a finer muesli. More respondents indicated that the private labels were too hard (private label 1: 22%, private label 2: 22%) compared to the national brands (brand A1: 8%, brand A2: 14%). From this measurement, we cannot draw firm conclusions, but this judgment may be related to the higher proportion of large clusters in the private labels.

What does this mean for cereal producers?

The Full Product Scan not only reveals deviations in specifications but also shows which of these actually influence consumer appreciation. Based on this consumer research into breakfast cereals, we give three suggestions:

• Consider strengthening the nut flavor, for example by increasing the nut content or using stronger nut varieties such as roasted or mixed nuts.

• Ensure that specifications and reality match—particularly regarding nut percentage.

• Use consumer feedback as a guide: for the national brands we mainly saw comments on taste and ratio, while for the private labels the feedback was mainly about hardness.

Optimizing breakfast cereals with facts and perception

The Full Product Scan combines technical specification checks with sensory evaluation by real consumers. This way, you gain insight into what looks right on paper and what the consumer actually experiences. Ideal for product development, specification management, or quality control within the food industry.

Curious how your product performs in practice? Whether it’s breakfast cereals or something entirely different. We are happy to help.