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Lucky Charms
Barcode 016000123991
AVOIDIs Lucky Charms safe?
Lucky Charms is rated AVOID by BannedPantry: its label lists 2 ingredients that are banned or restricted outside the US — Red 40 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)). All of them are still legal to sell in the US.
Flagged ingredients (2)
Red 40high
Banned or restricted in: EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)
Southampton Six colour (Allura Red, E129): EU-AUTHORISED but foods containing it must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. Many manufacturers reformulate for the EU/UK instead.
Yellow 5high
Banned or restricted in: EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)
Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.
Cleaner swaps for Lucky Charms
Same category, none of the flagged ingredients.
Barbara's Puffins Original Cereal
Barbara's
No artificial colors, no BHA/BHT, whole grain corn.
Cascadian Farm Organic Honey Nut O's
Cascadian Farm
USDA Organic, no artificial colors, real honey.
Lovebird Cinnamon Grain-Free Cereal
Lovebird
Paleo, organic, no artificial colors or flavors.
As an Amazon Associate, BannedPantry earns from qualifying purchases. This never influences our ratings — .
Full ingredient list
whole grain oats, sugar, oat flour, corn syrup, modified corn starch, corn starch, dextrose, salt, gelatin, trisodium phosphate, yellow 5 , 6, red 40, blue 1, natural and artificial flavor, vitamin e (mixed tocopherols) added to preserve freshness, vitamins and minerals: calcium carbonate, zinc and iron (mineral nutrients), vitamin c (sodium ascorbate), a b vitamin (niacinamide), vitamin b6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride), vitamin b2 (riboflavin), vitamin b, (thiamin mononitrate), vitamin a (palmitate), a b vitamin (folic acid), vitamin b12, vitamin d3.
Common questions
Is Lucky Charms banned in the United States?
No — every ingredient in Lucky Charms is currently legal to sell in the US. However, Red 40, Yellow 5 are banned or restricted in other regions: Red 40 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)).
Which ingredients in Lucky Charms are flagged?
Red 40: Southampton Six colour (Allura Red, E129): EU-AUTHORISED but foods containing it must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. Many manufacturers reformulate for the EU/UK instead. Yellow 5: Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.
What does the AVOID rating mean?
BannedPantry checks each labeled ingredient against food and cosmetic safety standards from the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and California, with a citation for every flag. AVOID means at least one labeled ingredient is banned or restricted by a major overseas regulator, or is high-severity under our methodology. Ratings are never influenced by brands.
What can I buy instead of Lucky Charms?
Comparable products without the flagged ingredients include Barbara's Puffins Original Cereal (Barbara's), Cascadian Farm Organic Honey Nut O's (Cascadian Farm), Lovebird Cinnamon Grain-Free Cereal (Lovebird). You can also scan any product's barcode free at https://bannedpantry.com to check it before you buy.
Run a full ingredient scan
See exactly which ingredients in Lucky Charms are banned overseas, with sources.
Scan now →BannedPantry — Our scores are never influenced by brands.