The Real Bread Campaign, a UK initiative advocating for additive-free bread and transparent labeling, has lodged a complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regarding the marketing of Kingsmill 50/50 bread produced by Allied Bakeries.
As a result of this complaint, Allied Bakeries, a division of ABF Grain Products, has committed to ceasing the claim ‘50% of your daily whole grain in 2 slices’ associated with its Kingsmill 50/50 product. This assertion relies on the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans; however, no formal UK or EU guidance currently exists on the recommended daily intake of whole grain.
In addressing the complaint, the ASA informed the Real Bread Campaign that it has reiterated to Kingsmill that the promise to discontinue the claim must extend across all advertising platforms. Furthermore, Kingsmill is required to notify retailers to prevent this claim from appearing.
Prior to escalating the issue to the ASA, the Real Bread Campaign suggested that Kingsmill amend its marketing approach to feature a “factual statement of fibre content.” However, they noted that using a statement like ‘12.7% of your recommended daily dietary fibre in 2 slices’ would not comply with legal standards, as there is no established fibre intake reference in EU/UK law, as defined in Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 regarding food information for consumers.
Currently, Kingsmill employs a ‘source of fibre’ statement, which can be claimed voluntarily if the product contains at least 3g of fibre per 100g or 1.5g per 100kcal. The Kingsmill 50/50 bread contains 4.7g of fibre per 100g, thereby qualifying for this statement.
The ASA has determined that a formal investigation is unnecessary, given that “Kingsmill has already assured” that the contested advertising will “be amended.” The ASA further communicated to the Real Bread Campaign that it sees minimal benefit in pursuing a formal investigation, as the resolution would remain unchanged.
“We believe that this will resolve the complaint without needing to refer the matter to the ASA Council, thus we will be closing our file.” Consequently, the full details of the case (ASA ref. A25-1289336) and its informal resolution will not be documented on the ASA website.
Following this event, Kingsmill has removed the disputed claim from its website.
“We thank the ASA for their intervention and we welcome this outcome. This incident highlights the importance of legal standards and reinforces our long-standing assertion that the definition of whole grain needs to be established in law,” stated Chris Young, the coordinator of the Real Bread Campaign.
In response, a Kingsmill spokesperson remarked to Food Manufacture, “We can confirm that we have quickly and informally resolved a matter that the ASA raised with us regarding a statement on the Kingsmill website.”
“As bakers, we’re passionate about the role that whole grain plays in a healthy, balanced diet. We take pride in the fact that Kingsmill 50/50’s blend of white and wholemeal flour has been well-received by families across the UK since its launch almost 20 years ago.”
“Our focus remains on providing clear and accurate information for Kingsmill shoppers. We continue to stand by the validity of all statements regarding our Kingsmill 50/50 bread.”
