Image source: Unsplash

Once upon a time, you knew what to expect when you bought food from a familiar brand. The packaging comforted you. The commercials earned your trust. The taste was reliable. But in 2025, trust in the food industry is eroding, and even long-established brands aren’t immune.

Between hidden ingredients, shrinking product sizes, deceptive health claims, and ethical missteps, consumers are finally pushing back. Many are calling out food companies for compromising quality in the name of profit, and the backlash is real. Sales are slipping. Social media is buzzing. And reputations are crumbling.

Here are seven once-trusted food brands that are now facing serious criticism from the very consumers who used to swear by them.

7 Once-Trusted Food Brands Facing Consumer Backlash in 2025

1. Kellogg’s: Accused of Selling Sugar as Health

For decades, Kellogg’s has positioned itself as the maker of “wholesome breakfast” staples like Corn Flakes, Special K, and Raisin Bran. But in 2025, health advocates and parents are calling out the brand for hiding excessive sugar behind misleading health claims.

Many of Kellogg’s cereals marketed as “heart-healthy” or “whole grain” are still loaded with added sugars, often disguised under names like evaporated cane juice or syrup solids. Nutritionists argue that these tactics deliberately target time-strapped families trying to make better food choices.

Combined with criticism over the company’s handling of recent factory closures and workforce cuts, Kellogg’s is rapidly losing credibility among health-conscious consumers.

2. Nestlé: Ethical Concerns Catch Up

Nestlé’s reputation has been shaky for years, but 2025 may be the tipping point. Once known for household staples like bottled water, frozen meals, and baby formula, Nestlé is facing renewed outrage over everything from plastic pollution to child labor accusations in its cocoa supply chain.

Recent exposés have revealed just how far some of its sourcing practices deviate from ethical norms—and younger consumers are paying attention. Social media campaigns urging boycotts are gaining traction, with hashtags like #NotWithNestle trending across platforms. While the company continues to push sustainability messaging, many consumers now view it as hollow greenwashing.

3. Kraft Heinz: Shrinkflation Without Transparency

Few companies are more iconic in the American pantry than Kraft Heinz. But in 2025, customers are increasingly calling foul on shrinkflation, a practice where product sizes decrease while prices stay the same or even rise. From mac and cheese boxes with less pasta to smaller ketchup bottles, longtime buyers feel like they’re being taken advantage of. Even worse, Kraft Heinz has not always been transparent about these changes.

Consumers are sharing photos and calling out the company online, accusing it of quietly downsizing portions while advertising the same “family size” packages. In an era where people are scrutinizing every grocery dollar, this kind of deception doesn’t go unnoticed.

4. Beyond Meat: Health Claims Under Fire

When plant-based eating went mainstream, Beyond Meat led the charge with innovative meat substitutes. But by 2025, some health experts and consumers are turning against the brand, claiming it’s no longer the clean, sustainable option it once promoted. Critics point to the ultra-processed nature of the ingredients, high sodium levels, and the use of lab-created additives that seem to contradict the brand’s image of natural goodness.

Beyond Meat has also faced criticism for its declining product quality, with some customers reporting taste and texture changes that suggest cost-cutting behind the scenes. As more people shift toward whole-food plant-based diets, heavily engineered meat substitutes like Beyond Meat are seeing a drop in support and trust.

Image source: Unsplash

5. PepsiCo: Environmental Practices Scrutinized

PepsiCo owns much more than just soda. It’s behind major snack and beverage brands like Gatorade, Doritos, Quaker, and more. In 2025, environmental activists are renewing their criticism of the company’s plastic waste and water consumption, particularly in regions facing droughts and resource scarcity.

Recent reports allege that PepsiCo operations have contributed to local water shortages in vulnerable communities abroad, prompting petitions and international condemnation.

While the brand continues to roll out eco-conscious packaging claims, many consumers see them as surface-level solutions to deep systemic problems. PepsiCo’s scale, once seen as a strength, now paints it as a behemoth too big to be trusted.

6. Tyson Foods: Animal Welfare Backlash

Tyson has always been the name behind countless chicken dinners, but in 2025, its image is suffering under the weight of repeated animal cruelty scandals and labor abuse allegations.

Video investigations and whistleblower testimonies have exposed harsh conditions in some Tyson facilities, both for animals and human workers. While Tyson has issued statements pledging change, activists argue these promises rarely result in meaningful reform. With consumers becoming more conscious of ethical sourcing and humane practices, Tyson’s long-standing dominance in the meat market is being reevaluated—and not favorably.

7. Dole: Fruit Isn’t Always Innocent

Dole has long enjoyed a healthy reputation thanks to its fruit cups, fresh produce, and smoothie-friendly packaging. But in 2025, consumers are raising concerns about what’s inside those cheerful labels. Many of Dole’s packaged products are high in added sugars and preservatives, leading critics to argue that the brand sells a false image of health.

In addition, there’s growing scrutiny over how the company treats workers on its plantations in Central America. Allegations of labor exploitation, poor working conditions, and environmental harm have triggered calls for accountability and better supply chain transparency. For a brand once viewed as “safe” and “simple,” Dole now faces a more complicated and skeptical public.

Consumers Are Waking Up

The era of blind brand loyalty is fading fast. Today’s consumers, especially younger generations and retirees on fixed budgets, are more educated and connected than ever. They’re reading labels, watching exposés, and calling out hypocrisy in real-time.

Once-trusted food brands no longer get a pass simply because they’ve been in the pantry for decades. Every misleading claim, every cut corner, every hidden ingredient is under the microscope. In 2025, transparency isn’t a bonus. It’s a baseline requirement. And for these seven companies, the pressure to earn back trust is growing by the day.

Which food brands have lost your trust in recent years? What was the turning point for you?

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Riley Jones

Riley Jones is an Arizona native with over nine years of writing experience. From personal finance to travel to digital marketing to pop culture. When she’s not writing, she’s spending her time outside, reading, or cuddling with her two corgis.