30th September 2026
The Conversation(1) identifies bread as the fourth food item whose cost is rising. “Arable farmers growing field crops such as wheat do not irrigate their crops but rely on the right amount of rain at the right time of year. This year’s long summer drought meant that UK wheat yields have fallen significantly below recent averages. But wheat only makes up about 10% of the overall cost of an average loaf of bread. Increases in pricing are also being driven by energy prices and other overheads passed onto bakeries, which need to power huge mills to produce flour and heat ovens to bake bread. This means a poor harvest is one of many factors likely to inflate the price of bread over the coming months.”
Like potatoes, bread is both a staple in our diets but also one of the foods most frequently thrown away. Again this may reflect its relatively low price (more so in the case of sliced pre-packed bread than premium freshly baked loaves) and a general attitude that it is ‘only’ bread.
Sliced pre-packed is typically full of chemicals that prolongs its life but even so it will go mouldy if not eaten within a certain time frame – yet for small households the economy of buying a large loaf may outweigh the benefits of a smaller loaf.
In countries outside the UK it is more usual to buy fresh bread daily – and thus to patronise a local bakery where fresh bread is produced daily. (But even that is a reality that is in decline perhaps because there are fewer people willing to take on the unsocial hours of a baker, and the unwillingness of people to pay a price that reflect a fair wage for the baker when a cheaper option is abating the supermarket).
All this suggests that we may need to value bread more highly, and appreciate it as a more than a filler but as a tasty nutritious part of our diet.
Here we might want to reflect on the comparisons between the nutritional value of a sliced pre-packed loaf which has been rushed through its production and filled with numerous additives to compensate, and bread that is made by traditional methods using just flour, water, yeast and a little salt. For more information see https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20250704-sourdough-vs-white-sliced-which-breads-should-we-be-eating and through the Real Bread Campaign https://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/ourwork/
At the same time, we may need to ensure we store our bread well – https://www.fob.uk.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/FS18-Keeping-Bread-Fresh-03-18.pdf – who don’t using paper bags or – https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/how-to-store-bread/ – who do! I personally store home made bread in cotton bags (washing each before reuse) and freeze bread wrapped in bees wax wrap.
And ensure we make good use of left over or stale bread.
NB in many cases where egg is used there will be a vegan option, eg: https://tinandthyme.uk/2021/04/vegan-savoury-bread-pudding/
We might also want to give due credit to the skills of bakers and millers, and support local independent bakers as part of our community:
“More jobs per loaf
“A small, independent bakery offers meaningful, skilled baking jobs to people from YOUR local community. Very simply put, each time you buy from one, you are helping to support more jobs per loaf.
“Supporting your high street
“As well as supporting meaningful jobs for local people, each time you spend money with locally-owned businesses, far more of that is likely to be reinvested locally. Where would you rather see your money go – supporting your neighbours and keeping your high street alive, or lining the pockets of the shareholders of huge national – or even multinational – corporations?” https://www.sustainweb.org/realbread/supermarkets/
As regards millers, you might want to check any that are local to you – https://www.sourdough.co.uk/british-artisan-flour-mills-by-region/ I buy our flour from Fosters Mill in Cambridgeshire which is wind-powered.
Nevertheless there is still an issue around cost. Good bread should be an affordable food for everyone. Either the cost of making good bread needs to be subsidised or society needs to ensure that everyone has a sufficient biscuits income that makes good bread affordable.
This scheme is one tackling this issue – https://scotlandthebread.org/2021/01/29/solidarity-stories-bread-communities-working-together-for-equal-access-to-good-food/
Maybe this – https://communitychef.org.uk/what-are-bread-clubs/ or this – https://breadtogether.org.uk/
