Secretary of State shuns sourdough

Responding on 8 April 2025 to a question from Freddie van Mierlo MP, Daniel Zeichner, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, wrote: ‘The Government has no current plans to introduce regulations to specifically cover the composition of ‘sourdough bread’. The UK maintains high food standards including on requirements relating to food labelling and information. Existing legislation ensures the labelling and marketing of food, including sourdough products, does not intentionally mislead consumers.’

Real Bread Campaign coordinator Chris Young said: ‘This is hugely disappointing. A legal definition of the term sourdough, and regulation of its use, are amongst our proposals for updated and improved composition, labelling and marketing standards for which we have been lobbying since 2009. While in the Shadow Cabinet, Mr. Zeichner showed interest in our work and appeared to be favourable to our aims. We had hoped that he would have greater appetite than his predecessors to make positive changes, but his response echoes theirs and sourfaux subterfuge continues unchecked.’

On 18 February 2025, Sustain’s CEO, Kath Dalmeny, wrote to Mr. Zeichner, suggesting a meeting to discuss which of the Real Bread Campaign’s Honest Crust Act proposals the current government might consider taking forward. The Campaign will be following this up for a response.

Young added: ‘We still hope to meet with Mr. Zeichner and make progress. In the meantime, if any MPs are interested in adding their voices in support of our proposals, which are designed to benefit small business owners, and the rest of us as shoppers, please get in touch.’

Goals and the long grass

These are some of the proposals that the Campaign has led, or supported, since 2009.

Wins

• Mandatory declaration of flour ‘fortificants’ on ingredients lists: introduced in December 2014
• Full ingredient labelling / listing for loaves pre-packed for direct sale: introduced in October 2021
• Legal definition of wholemeal: introduced in November 2024
• Exemptions from mandatory flour ‘fortification’: introduced in November 2024
• Guidance on use of the word ‘wholemeal’: Defra advised this would be issued with the amended Bread and Flour Regulations that were enacted in November 2024 (though guidance not been published yet)

Work in progress

• Full ingredient labelling / listing for loaves sold loose / unwrapped: not yet adopted.
• Regulation of ‘freshly baked in store today’ type claims: not yet adopted.
• Mandatory declaration of ‘processing aids’ on ingredients lists: not yet adopted.
• Legal definition of whole grain / wholegrain and regulation of its use: not yet adopted.
• Legal definition of sourdough and regulation of its use: not yet adopted.
• Regulation of other, commonly-used marketing terms / claims (such as heritage wheat and artisan): not yet adopted.