Update on wholegrains

Published: 09 May 2008

According to The British Baker (May 2, 2008) wholegrain bread sales are making big inroads into the UK bread sector....

The UK market has traditionally been dominated by white bread - a category that has slowly declined and was valued at under £1 billion in 2007.  According to Key Note's latest bakery report, in 2007 the brown and wholemeal bread market was worth £700 million, an increase from £400m in 2004.  There is growing awareness among consumers of wholegrain benefits which include maintaining a healthy digestive system, and the low GI positives in terms of controlling weight, blood sugar and diabetes prevention.  White breads made with hidden wholegrain flours are popular as a way to improve children's diet, while adults are more likely to select wholegrain breads with 'bits'. 

The rise in wholegrain sales has paved the way for the introduction into the UK of the Whole Grains Stamp, an American initiative which helps consumers identify wholegrain foods.  It is used on over 1,700 US products, of which 23% are breads or bagels.

British Bakels will be the first to make the stamp available to UK bakers to use on packaging and labelling.  The message will be "It just takes 2".  Two medium slices of multi-wholegrain bread (2x41g) provides consumers with 48g of whole grain - the recommended daily amount in many countries, and more than treble the current UK average.

Previously the introduction of the Whole Grains Stamp into the UK has been delayed by the lack of an industry-wide definition, confusion over EU legislation on health claims and the lack of agreed minimum agreed levels of whole grains before making claims.