I spy sourdough

People new to Sourdough September might ponder ‘how can I tell if something is genuine sourdough bread?’ Sadly, without a legal definition, the name alone offers no guarantee.

The Real Bread Campaign encourages shoppers always to read the ingredient list to be sure that no additives, yeast or other raising agents have been added. But what about where there is no ingredients list, such as at a pizzeria or supermarket loaf tanning salon?

Look for The Loaf Mark!

Created in 2011, The Real Bread Loaf Mark scheme helps a bakery or eatery to give customers their own, at-a-glance assurance that bread* is additive-free.** If that Real Bread is leavened only using a live sourdough starter, the business can tag it with The Sourdough Loaf Mark.

Find out more and sign up today

*Loaf, bun, baguette, pizza, flatbread, dough ball, bagel etc.
**The only exceptions we make are for so-called 'fortificants' in places where their addition is mandatory - to most UK milled flour, for example.

Current users

These are the 101 businesses that have signed up to The Loaf Mark scheme in the past 12 months, updated on 15 September 2022.

More than 500 bakeries have current Real Bread Map listings and many more people (bakers and non-bakers) are Real Bread Campaign supporters.

The scheme is not any sort of accreditation/certification by the Campaign, nor does it necessarily indicate that a business is a Campaign supporter, though almost all are.

NB All of these bakeries have signed an agreement that they will only use The Loaf Mark to promote Real Bread. Many, though not all, of them make genuine sourdough bread. To be sure, customers should read the label or ask a member of staff.

Voluntary schemes aren’t enough

The Real Bread Campaign continues to lobby for an Honest Crust Act of updated and improved protection for shoppers and business owners.

The call includes mandatory labelling of all additives – including so-called processing aids; mandatory full ingredient labelling/listing at point of sale for bread that is sold unwrapped; legal definition and regulation of use of ‘fresh bread’, ‘freshly baked’, ‘baked in store’ and similar; legal definition and regulation of use of a range of bakery marketing terms, including wholegrain, sourdough, artisan, ancient and heritage.

In the meantime, we urge all bakers and retailers to follow these principles voluntarily and encourage Real Bread bakers to sign up to The Real Bread Loaf Mark scheme.