If the thickness of the slices matters for your topping or toastie, choose a loaf whose packaging or product information explicitly confirms that it is medium-sliced. Also look for the wholemeal label if you eat the bread regularly, and check the allergens and how much you can store or freeze. The word ‘sliced’ on its own does not confirm the thickness.
Pre-sliced bread saves you the effort of cutting a loaf for a late-night snack. Check the stated slice thickness if medium-sliced bread matters for your topping or toastie, and choose an amount you can store at home.
If you eat the bread for more than just a snack, choosing the type of bread is a separate consideration. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal or brown bread rather than white bread; check the label on the product you choose to see whether it is wholemeal.
Check the allergen information for the specific bread before buying it. For unpackaged bread, you can ask the retailer for this information; the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that retailers must tell customers about any allergens present.
First decide whether you’re mainly looking for an everyday type of bread, convenience when making a sandwich or a suitable quantity. Then check the slice thickness and allergen information for the specific loaf: a category label doesn’t always tell you enough.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who should consider this? |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday type of bread | Look for the wholemeal label on the packaging or shelf label; don’t rely on the colour or the term ‘multigrain’ alone. | If I eat bread regularly, I want to choose the type deliberately rather than judging it by its appearance. Around 40% of consumers prioritise this everyday choice. |
| Slice thickness and ease of making a sandwich | Look specifically for ‘medium-sliced’; if it only says ‘sliced’, check the packaging or ask the retailer. | If I want to make a sandwich or toastie straight away, the slice thickness needs to suit how I’ll use it. For around 30% of consumers, this immediate convenience matters most. |
| Quantity and storage | Check whether a half loaf is available and whether you can freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it. | I only have a sandwich late at night now and then, so I don’t want to leave a whole loaf uneaten. Around 30% of consumers prioritise choosing a suitable quantity. |
Sliced bread has already been cut into slices, but that doesn’t tell you how thick they are. This can matter if you’re looking for a particular slice thickness for a topping or toastie.
Check whether the packaging, shelf label or product page explicitly says ‘medium-sliced’. If not, ask the retailer.
The colour, seeds or name of a loaf don’t confirm that it is wholemeal. If you’re looking for wholemeal bread, check the label for the specific product.
Check the packaging or shelf label to see whether the bread is described as wholemeal.
Iodine is added to baker’s salt, but the Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use it. So the ingredients can vary from one loaf to another.
Check the ingredients for baker’s salt, or ask which salt has been used if the bread is unpackaged.
If you only have a sandwich now and then, you could have some bread left over, and it may lose quality before you eat it.
Consider buying half a loaf. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions as soon as you buy it if you want to store it.
The online bread ranges at these retailers can help you explore different types of bread and pack sizes. Check the slice thickness, ingredients and local availability of the specific loaf you choose.
The online bread range includes different types of bread and pre-sliced options.
The online own-brand range includes white, brown and wholemeal bread, as well as half loaves.
The online bread range includes different types of bread, available as whole and half loaves.
The bread range includes sliced loaves and separate bake-at-home products.
The online bread range includes different types of bread, available as half and whole loaves.
The bread range includes fresh-from-the-oven products and other bread options.
No. ‘Sliced’ only confirms that the loaf has been cut into slices. Check the packaging or shelf label for the slice thickness, or ask the retailer.
First check the type of bread on the label. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends wholemeal or brown bread rather than white bread; the wholemeal label alone doesn’t tell you anything about a product’s slice thickness or allergens.
No. The Netherlands Nutrition Centre says that bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients of packaged bread, or ask which salt has been used if the bread is unpackaged.
Ask the retailer for the allergen information before choosing the bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority says that retailers must tell customers about any allergens present in unpackaged foods.
Choose an amount that suits how much you eat, or freeze the bread in portions as soon as you buy it. That way, you won’t have to defrost a whole loaf for one snack; the Netherlands Nutrition Centre recommends freezing bread in portions.
