The Real Bread Campaign has reacted to a national chain marketing itself as ‘the bakers’ admitting yesterday it is now only selling loaves ‘where we see high levels of customer demand’.
The chain is now concentrating on the ‘to go’ market, selling items such as sandwiches, pastries and drinks. As to whether the chain sells any Real Bread (which the Real Bread Campaign defines as made without any artificial additives), the company is not legally obliged to display ingredients lists for unwrapped loaves and has repeatedly declined to answer the Campaign’s requests for this information.
Even prior to yesterday’s revelation, the chain supplied the vast majority of its outlets from just nine centralised loaf factories, with in-store bakeries at a mere 79 of its 1671 shops. Then on 9 January 2014, the Financial Times reported that the chain was closing even those few in-store bakeries.
The Real Bread Campaign believes that the change in business model could be due to a combination of factors. From a business point of view, one reason might be that there are easier ways to make money than baking loaves. While some people might baulk at paying £2 for a loaf, millions are perfectly prepared to pay an average of £2.14 for just two slices as the outer layers of a prepacked sandwich, an industry now worth around £7.5 billion a year.
From a customer perspective, could it be that people are becoming more discerning about the loaves they buy? As sales of industrial loaves continue to slump, the rise of small, independent Real Bread bakeries is evident on high streets around Britain. Perhaps people prefer their bread to be additive-free and made by small, independent neighbourhood bakeries that create more jobs per loaf and help to keep the local economy thriving. Or perhaps people just think that Real Bread tastes better.
In support of small independent bakeries and people wanting to seek out additive-free loaves locally, the Real Bread Campaign website hosts this map.
The Campaign also works to encourage people to bake their own Real Bread at home, securing a range of discounts for its supporters.
ENDS
For more information, contact Real Bread Campaign coordinator Chris Young: chris [at] sustainweb.org
References
bbc.co.uk - 19 May 2015
Greggs: The baker that is stopping selling loaves
ft.com - 9 January 2014
Greggs to close all 79 in-store bakeries
realbreadcampaign.org - September 2010 (updated 20 May 2015)
What about the high street chain bakeries, sandwich shops etc?
Published Wednesday 20 May 2015
Sustain: Sustain The alliance for better food and farming advocates food and agriculture policies and practices that enhance the health and welfare of people and animals, improve the working and living environment, enrich society and culture and promote equity.
