‘This is why I get the Great Value ones’: Grocery shopper buys Pop-Tarts. Then she opens the package

Manufacturers employ quality-control measures to ensure that the products they sell are not only of high quality but are also consistent from one package to the next.

However, these measures aren’t always effective. For example, one shopper discovered that their frozen pizza came with toppings placed not on pizza dough but on a sheet of cardboard. Another alleged that the frozen chicken nuggets they bought contained nothing but breading.

When something like this occurs, companies generally have a process in place to make sure that customers remain satisfied with the manufacturer. This process can include offering refunds or replacements.

That said, as TikTok user Kyla (@kylatropicana24) recently learned, actually taking advantage of these offers isn’t as easy as it sounds.

What went wrong with this Pop-Tart?

In a video with over 17,000 views, Kyla shows a Pop-Tart that is missing a substantial amount of frosting.

“Um, Pop-Tart? What the [expletive] is this?” her video starts. She then compares her poorly frosted Pop-Tart to a Pop-Tart with the correct amount of frosting. “What the [expletive]?”

Kyla then posted a follow-up video detailing her attempt to resolve the situation. This follow-up video currently has over 655,000 views.

A Pop-Tart replacement gone wrong

In her follow-up, Kyla says that she emailed Kellogg’s, the company that makes Pop-Tarts, to try to resolve the issue. In response, she claims that the company told her they would be sending her a link to get a free box of Pop-Tarts. However, she says they “never sent” the link to Kyla.

After Kyla followed up, she says she received a link from the company to get a free box of Pop-Tarts. Consequently, she says she went onto the given website and picked out a box of Lemon Blueberry Crumble Pop-Tarts.

“Get to the checkout, and my coupon doesn't work,” Kyla explains. “So then I email them, and I'm like, ‘Hey, what's going on with my coupon?’ They email me back, and they're like, ‘Oh, that link is expired.’”

“Excuse me?” Kyla continues. “I checked the link when you got it. It didn't expire until May. Now you're telling me it's expired and I can't get this box of Pop-Tarts?”

In attempting to resolve this, Kyla says she was directed to another email address.

Foreseeing commenters suggesting she was going through too much work for a box of Pop-Tarts, Kyla states that “it’s the principle.”

“You're making me go through all this freaking work because you messed up? I'm sorry. That's freaking ridiculous,” she declares. “Literally just run me my box of Pop-Tarts, and I will be happy.”

The TikToker follows up

In a later video, Kyla says that Pop-Tart has reached out to her again, though she says shr still does not have the free box of Pop-Tarts.

Furthermore, she says she was unaware of a Kellogg’s boycott that commenters said was ongoing. It’s unclear which specific boycott this is referring to, as there are multiple groups discussing boycotts against the company for a variety of reasons.

For example, some are boycotting the company due to the presence of artificial dyes. Others are said to be boycotting the company as part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which promotes boycotts, divestment, and economic sanctions against Israel. Though many claim that the company is not on most BDS company lists. Further internet users claim to be boycotting the company as a consequence of its CEO’s 2024 “cereal for dinner” comments.

For her part, Kyla says that she’ll be trying some alternative brands and recipes for homemade Pop-Tarts. She also showed off her alternative Pop-Tart purchases in a follow-up video.

The TikToker responds

In an email to the Daily Dot, Kyla said that, so far, she's enjoyed the Kroger Pop-Tarts alternative but that she "want[s] to try Ghetto Ghastro but haven't been able to find them in stores yet." She also noted that the "boycott" she was referring to was the aforementioned "cereal for dinner" boycott.

Overall, she says she's not satisfied with how the company has attempted to resolve the issue.

"Consumers are the only ones that can hold corporations accountable," she wrote. "At first I thought the process was easy and was even excited to buy the replacement. That excitement turned to frustration once they started to play a game with me."

The TikToker then detailed the undertaking she's gone through trying to get her replacement, which includes multiple emails and follow-ups.

"A process that should have been 2 steps...turned into 8," she stated. "At this point most folks would give [up,] WHICH IS WHAT THEY WANT. They want you to give up and just eat the $4 or just buy the box at checkout when the email doesn't work so they can continue to profit off of you. I took to TikTok because, while they can ignore one of us, they can't ignore all of us."

"I was just trying to point out that a company that reported a global operating profit of 1.51 billion dollars should have the resources to send me a properly working coupon," she added, noting that other commenters had experienced similar frustrations when dealing with the company.

@kylatropicana24 #stitch with @Kyla @Pop-Tarts DO BETTER!!!!! #poptarts #kelloggs #breakfast #breakfastideas ♬ original sound - Kyla

Commenters share their thoughts

In the comments section, users lamented the company’s response to Kyla’s issues.

“If you were an influencer they wouldve sent you a whole PR,” wrote a user. “They are just being lazy.”

“It's funny how brand accounts will comment on posts for publicity but then are silent to things like this,” added another.

“Tbf i stopped buying poptart brand poptarts when i found that ‘Toastem pop ups’ taste infinitely better,” stated a third.

In her email, Kyla said the hopes her video inspires people to use their voice.

"If I can use mine to start a conversation about Pop-Tarts, then think about all the other important conversations just waiting to happen," she wrote.

The Daily Dot reached out to The Kellogg Company. 

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