Three-quarters of store-bought bread is as salty per slice as a packet of crisps, study finds | UK News

According to a survey, three-quarters of prepackaged supermarket loaves of bread contain as much salt or more per slice as a packet of already salted crisps.

Action on Salt examined 242 loaves of sliced ​​bread bought in store from 28 companies sold in 10 of the UK’s largest supermarkets and found that three out of four contained equivalent or more amounts of salt than the 0.34g found in a bag of crisps.

The saltiest was a Hovis White bread with Starter Dough, which contained 1.48g of salt per 100g of bread. It was almost three times the amount of the least salty bread (Waitrose Rye and Wheat Dark Sourdough) with 0.51g.

Too much salt can increase the risk of high blood pressure, which affects almost a third of adults in England.

A person eating a few slices of Hovis Soft White Extra Thick bread, for example, would consume one-fifth of their recommended maximum daily salt intake.

Action on Salt now wants the government to set mandatory salt reduction targets.

Responding to the survey, Hovis said: “Over the past 20 years, Hovis has actively reduced salt levels in its products, with data provided by Action on Salt confirming this noticeable reduction over time.

“The vast majority of our range is fully compliant with current salt targets.”

The brand added that “Cobs” were the breads that Action on Salt highlighted as exceeding voluntary salt targets, which are their “craftsman-inspired range” for “special occasions”.

Read more: Adding salt to food could cut life expectancy by more than two years

Although most loaves fell below the government’s maximum salt target for 2024, the charity pointed to wide variations suggesting the targets were “far too lenient”.

Reduced-salt breads included Vogel’s Original Mixed Grain Bread, Vogel’s Soy and Flaxseed Bread, and Schneider Brot Organic Sunflower Seed Bread.

Graham MacGregor, President of Action on Salt, said: “Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure to lower blood pressure and reduce the number of people dying and suffering from strokes and heart disease.

“It is therefore a shame that the food companies continue to fill our food with so much unnecessary salt, as the bread shows here. For too long, the food industry has been in charge of public health, at our expense; It’s time for the government to stop letting people die unnecessarily.”

Sainsbury’s said: “100% of our sliced ​​bread products meet Public Health England’s maximum salt target for 2024 and we regularly review ranges in line with government guidance.”