Only choose a bread roll after comparing the current ingredients and allergen information with what the person eating it needs to avoid. Don’t let its appearance or flavour determine your first choice. A gluten-free bread roll may be an option if you need to avoid gluten, but it can still contain other allergens. Spelt, sourdough and multigrain rolls are not automatically gluten-free, and if you’re buying a loose roll, ask for the allergen information before you buy.
You’re looking for a bread roll explicitly labelled gluten-free. Spelt is not a gluten-free alternative: the European Commission classifies spelt as wheat, a gluten-containing cereal. Also check the other ingredients and allergens that are relevant to you.
If you also need to avoid, for example, milk, eggs, soya, nuts or sesame, a gluten-free label alone doesn’t tell you everything you need to know. Check each product for allergens it contains and any relevant warnings about possible cross-contamination.
You’re looking for a roll for a special meal and want to choose based on ingredients or flavour. First check that the allergens listed are suitable for you: according to their product information, Jumbo’s organic spelt rolls and SlooOW’s rustic sourdough rolls contain gluten-containing cereals.
Start with the allergens that need to be avoided. Only then compare the type of bread, ingredients and flavour preferences.
| What to consider | What to check before buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Avoiding gluten | Look for an explicit gluten-free label; don’t treat spelt, sourdough or multigrain as a substitute. If you have a wheat allergy, check the ingredients for wheat too. | If I need to avoid gluten, I don’t want to rely on the name of the roll. This is the top priority for around 36% of consumers. |
| Several allergens | Compare the allergens present and any relevant warnings about possible cross-contamination with your personal list of allergens to avoid. | When I’m buying for someone with several allergies, the full allergen information needs to be suitable, not just a gluten-free label. Around 29% of consumers make this broader check their top priority. |
| Another specific allergen | Check the ingredient in question and any warnings for each variety; for example, PLUS’s gluten-free multiseed rolls contain sesame, according to PLUS. | If I need to avoid one allergen, such as sesame, the variety I choose can make all the difference. This is the first thing around 21% of consumers look for. |
| Flavour and ingredients | Once you’ve checked the allergens, compare options such as spelt, sourdough, seeds or organic ingredients. | I want to choose a roll for its flavour or ingredients once I know it’s suitable for me. This is the top preference for around 14% of consumers. |
A gluten-free bread roll may contain other allergens or carry a warning that they may be present. For AH Gluten-Free White Rolls, Albert Heijn warns that eggs, milk, soya, almonds and hazelnuts may be present; PLUS’s gluten-free multiseed variety contains sesame.
For each product, check both the allergens it contains and any warnings that are relevant to the person eating it.
The European Commission classifies spelt as a type of wheat that contains gluten. A roll made with sourdough or organic ingredients isn’t automatically gluten-free either.
If gluten needs to be avoided, look for an explicit gluten-free label and check the rest of the allergen information too.
With an unpackaged bread roll, you can’t check an ingredients list on the packaging. White, rustic or multigrain doesn’t tell you which allergens matter for your choice.
Ask the shop for the allergen information for that specific roll before you buy it.
According to NBC / brood.net, using baker’s salt containing iodine isn’t a legal requirement. So don’t assume a particular type of salt is used just because of the product category.
If the type of salt matters to your choice, check the current ingredients list for details such as iodised salt or baker’s salt.
An option if you’re looking for a white bread roll explicitly labelled gluten-free.
The range includes gluten-free and regular bread roll varieties, which need to be checked separately for allergens.
The organic spelt rolls are an option if you’re looking for spelt and sourdough and don’t need to avoid gluten.
The rustic organic sourdough rolls suit anyone who prefers this type of bread, provided the allergens are suitable.
A supermarket option for a loose white bread roll.
A supermarket option for a loose white bread roll.
The rustic multigrain roll is a regular option if you can check the allergens first.
No. Gluten-free on its own tells you nothing about other allergens. For AH Gluten-Free White Rolls, Albert Heijn warns that eggs, milk, soya, almonds and hazelnuts may be present; according to PLUS, its gluten-free multiseed rolls contain sesame. So always compare the specific product with the allergens that need to be avoided.
A spelt roll isn’t a gluten-free alternative: the European Commission classifies spelt as wheat, a gluten-containing cereal. For its organic spelt rolls, Jumbo lists gluten, spelt and wheat as allergens present.
Ask for the allergen information for that specific roll before you buy it. If you need to avoid an allergen, don’t rely on the colour or name of the roll, or on information about another product in the same range.
No, you can’t assume this is always the case. NBC / brood.net states that using baker’s salt containing iodine isn’t a legal requirement. Check the ingredients list if the type of salt used matters to your choice.
Yes. If you have a food allergy, base your choice on the current packaging or allergen information. This lets you check that the ingredients and warnings for the roll you’re buying now are suitable, rather than relying on a previous purchase.
