A grocery store chain has eliminated a loaf of bread from sale after an motion group protested in opposition to using the phrase ‘wholemeal’ within the identify.
Iceland is stopping gross sales of its personal model of “50 p.c white and entire wheat” bread, following a grievance from the Actual Bread marketing campaign, which claimed the product shouldn’t be marketed as entire wheat, whichever means you narrow it.
The group, run by meals support group Maintain, lobbies in opposition to breads containing components, which it says threaten the “values of actual bread”. It defines “actual bread” as bread made with out chemical leavening brokers, processing aids or different components.
Meals requirements tips established by the Division of Meals, Setting and Rural Affairs (Defra) state that “bread labeled or marketed as ‘entire wheat’ should comprise 100% entire wheat flour.”
However grocery store cabinets are filled with loaves of bread from quite a few manufacturers which are solely partially entire grain, but nonetheless function the phrase prominently on their labels.
Often called “half-and-half bread,” and infrequently marketed as a wholesome, high-fiber resolution for fogeys whose children don’t love brown bread however choose white, the loaves comprise 50 p.c entire wheat flour and 50 p.c refined white flour .
The Actual Bread marketing campaign final 12 months wrote to 5 firms, together with Iceland, Hovis and Warburtons, who objected to the inclusion of the phrase “entire grain” of their names and advertising and marketing. It additionally filed a grievance with buying and selling requirements final 12 months.
Now, it mentioned, it has been knowledgeable by buying and selling requirements that Iceland intends to cease promoting the disputed product.
Actual Bread Marketing campaign Coordinator Chris Younger mentioned, “The legislation is evident on what you possibly can and can’t name and market with the phrase ‘entire grain’. It is good to see Iceland’s transfer consistent with this, though they may have simply given the product a distinct identify.”
Mr Younger added that the buying and selling requirements group will proceed to analyze its grievance in opposition to different producers, and to foyer the federal government to assessment the regulation of the phrases “wholemeal” and “wholemeal”.
Defra has mentioned it’s “nonetheless enthusiastic about one of the simplest ways to deal with this problem”.
Iceland confirmed it had pulled the bread, although it described the transfer as a “business resolution”.
The grocery store mentioned it had “streamlined” its product traces to “give attention to what our clients really need” and that there have been “no plans to deliver again the bread.”
i contacted Hovis and Warburtons for remark.