Kellogg's will no longer make UK Rice Krispies and Coco Pops from whole rice grains, the company said. The cereals will instead be made from corn flour and rice flour, and will contain wheat gluten.
A Kellogg's spokesperson attributed the recipe change to "changing weather conditions" that have disrupted supplies of some grains and cereals. The company said the new versions had been "carefully assessed for taste, appearance and texture" and that it is listening to customer feedback.
Kellogg's said the change will help "maintain consistent quality." The BBC reported that extreme weather is affecting crops, particularly in South East Asia, where much of the world's rice is grown, and that this is driving up prices.
The packaging will now carry a "contains wheat gluten" warning. Previously it said the products "may contain gluten" because of the risk of cross-contamination in a factory that handles other cereals.
Kellogg's said there are no changes to Rice Krispies products in the US and Canada. It also said the cereals contain no artificial colours, flavours or sweeteners, that their fibre, vitamin D and iron content is unchanged, and that they will continue to meet UK food standards for fat, salt and sugar.
According to the BBC, the record-breaking El Niño weather phenomenon is expected to severely affect crop production in South East Asia, which produces more than a quarter of the world's rice. The World Meteorological Agency expects El Niño to last until at least 2027.