Are supermarket bloomers pants?

A nine-month investigation by the Real Bread Campaign has found the in-store bakeries of only one major supermarket chain producing any Real Bread.

Following repeated questioning of six major UK supermarket chains[1] between June 2009 and February 2010, only Marks & Spencer advised that some of its in-store bakery loaves[2] met the very simple Real Bread criteria of being made without the use of processing aids or any other artificial additives.

�It's great to learn that one of the major supermarkets is producing several lines of Real Bread from scratch in their in-store bakeries. If any of the others are, it's both odd and a shame that they did not take this opportunity to say so,� said Real Bread Campaign project officer, Chris Young.

Amongst other findings, the report also highlights that many supermarket in-store bakeries do not bake every loaf fresh from scratch on-site but bake-off dough or part-baked loaves produced elsewhere. According to an article in British Baker magazine, bake-off production: '�demands around twice the energy of conventional breadmaking...'[3] Despite this, as in-store bakeries are classed as primary production sites, they qualify for financial incentives from government, paid for by taxpayers, through lucrative Climate Change Agreements. 

The Real Bread Campaign believes that people have the right to know just how in-store bakery loaves are being produced. Without this knowledge, how can we make fully informed choices between purchasing them or opting for Real Bread from local independent bakeries or our own ovens?

Due to labelling law, customers are unable to know what additives have been used in the production of in-store bakery loaves unless they ask.

The full report can be found at http://www.realbreadcampaign.org/, where consumers can also search the Real Bread Finder for local sources of the genuine article.

**ENDS** 

For more information, please contact Chris Young of the Real Bread Campaign on:

• chris@sustainweb.org or 0203 5596 777
• http://www.realbreadcampaign.org/
• Follow the Real Bread Campaign group on Facebook and @RealBread on Twitter

Download 'Are supermarket bloomers pants?'

 

Notes to editors:

The Real Bread Campaign is part of the UK charity Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming.  The main aims of this national membership organisation are to encourage the increased consumption and local production of Real Bread. Beyond that, it is on a quest for bread that's better for us, better for our communities and better for the planet.

By the campaign's basic definition, Real Bread is made with only flour, water, yeast and salt. Any other ingredients also must be natural. The production of Real Bread does not involve the use processing aids or any other artificial additives.

[1] The six chains questioned were Asda, Marks & Spencer, Morrisons, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Waitrose

[2] In a letter dated 12th February 2010, Peter Knott, Master Baker at Marks & Spencer advised that the following in-store bakery lines meet the campaign's definition of Real Bread:

• 400g and 800g white bloomer loaf
• 400g and 800g farmhouse loaf
• 400g and 800g wholemeal farmhouse loaf
• 400g country grain loaf
• 400g five seed golden wholemeal cob
• White pave
• Sourdough loaf
• Tartine slices

[3] Par-baked poser, British Baker, 9th October 2009 http://www.bakeryinfo.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/5913/Par-baked_poser.html