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Research by the Federation of Bakers has found that, despite reports to the contrary, the current focus on reduced carbohydrate eating plans is having little or no effect on bread sales. While it is true that the traditional retail sliced and wrapped bread market has declined by around 1.5 per cent in volume in the last three years, this has been caused by changing eating habits, with consumers eating more pre-packed food, including ready to eat sandwiches, and a move towards more speciality breads.
In fact, the bread market is also growing in value, by approximately 13 per cent or £130m in the same three year period, as consumers “trade up”, moving to the more premium breads available. This growth reinforces the fact that consumers continue to see bread as an integral part of the British diet.
John White, director of The Federation of Bakers, commented: “The move towards the premium end of the sector has been going on for a number of years. It is continuing and we will be watching this year to see if it plateaus. This has been probably the most significant change we have seen in the market and it has certainly helped value growth in the business where margins are wafer thin and price increases are rare.
“There has also been good growth in the morning goods/bakery snacks sector. That has been quite dynamic, as has the speciality part of the market. In fact, 2004 was one of the best years for new product development; part of the reason is due to the investment that the big brand owning companies put into this area.
“Both 2003 and 2004 seemed to see a lot of product launches in our sector and I think you can see that reflected on the super-market shelves.” As 2004 saw so much press about low carb diet plans and celebrities taking this approach, the baking and bread industry is keen to emphasise the healthy eating benefits of bread, and has invested considerable time and money into spreading the message that bread is good for you.
“The messages that get into the press are often mistranslated,” said John, “but dieticians and nutritionists agree that bread is good for you. More than a quarter of our fibre intake comes from bread, which is essential for the efficient elimination of waste from our bodies.
“White bread is often disparaged but in fact, this is a great source of calcium, an essential nutrient for strong bones and healthy teeth, it is equally vital as a regulator in most of our body tissues, helping nerves and muscles to work properly.
This can be especially important to anyone who has eliminated dairy products from their diet. Bread is also a source of iron, thiamin and niacin and some sliced breads are fortified with folic acid – as well as containing natural foliates. This can be beneficial in protecting against spina bifida in babies during the early stages of pregnancy.
“What has happened is that there are new diets released that focus on one food group, and label it ‘bad’. We do not take this approach and we focus on a balanced lifestyle message. Most recently we launched the Vitality Eating System that is endorsed by Cat Deeley, which is not a diet, it is a lifestyle.
Within this we were following Government recommendations by getting a celebrity to endorse healthy eating products rather than crisps or fizzy drinks, which was criticised in the Health Committee Report. We work hard to get a balanced message across, but we recognised that these new radical diets always attract media attention.
“We also emphasise the correct amount of food to be eaten, as portion control is important in a balanced lifestyle, and we work quite hard to remind people of a common sense, sensible approach. Weight loss is all about calories - as long you expend more than you eat, you will lose weight, so it is all about food choices.
We are making sure our ‘bread is good for you’ message is cohesive across the industry and with the Government. Our sector has a tremendous opportunity here to reap the benefits of this message, and we are keen to get everyone in the industry on board.” FC
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