If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose tiger bread or sourdough based on the name alone. Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and cross-contamination warnings for the exact product. Gluten-free sourdough-style bread may be an alternative if you’re looking for that style of loaf, but it isn’t automatically tiger bread. Always check the current packaging too, as ingredients and allergen information can change.
You want to check before you buy whether the bread is labelled gluten-free and whether it carries a warning about cereals containing gluten. The Dutch Coeliac Association also highlights the importance of avoiding cross-contamination for people with coeliac disease.
You’re looking for sourdough-style bread without assuming that regular sourdough is gluten-free. PLUS lists Schär Meesterbakker varieties that are sold as gluten-free and, according to the product information, are made with sourdough.
When buying bread again, you want to check the current label and whether it’s available at your shop. If baker’s salt matters to your choice, Voedingscentrum advises checking the label to see whether it has been used, or asking the baker.
If you have coeliac disease and want an alternative to tiger bread or sourdough, first check that the exact loaf is gluten-free. Then consider its style and practical availability when choosing between suitable options.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Gluten-free status and cross-contamination | Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and warnings on the current packaging. If you have coeliac disease, don’t choose bread carrying the warning ‘may contain cereals containing gluten’ or ‘not suitable for people with coeliac disease’. | When I’m buying bread for someone with coeliac disease, I mainly want to choose a product without that kind of warning. For around 50% of consumers, gluten safety would be their top priority when buying. |
| Sourdough and bread style | Only after checking the gluten-free label, see whether this particular loaf is described as a sourdough product. A sourdough label doesn’t confirm that it’s a tiger bread variety. | I’m looking for sourdough-style bread, but I don’t want to mistake sourdough for proof that it’s gluten-free. For around 30% of consumers, bread style would be their main point of difference. |
| Buying again and baker’s salt | Check whether it’s available at your shop and read the label again each time you buy it. Also check whether baker’s salt has been used if that’s relevant to your choice. | When I buy bread regularly, I want to know whether the same option will still be available and what the packaging says. For roughly 20% of consumers, these practical considerations would come first. |
Sourdough describes how bread is made; it doesn’t tell you whether it’s suitable for someone with coeliac disease. Regular sourdough is therefore no substitute for checking the exact product.
Start with the gluten-free label and allergen information. Only then compare bread styles.
The Dutch Coeliac Association says cross-contamination can occur through hands, worktops and kitchen utensils, among other things. So even after buying carefully, how you prepare the bread still matters.
Use clean or separate utensils and keep gluten-free bread apart from regular bread and shared spreads.
Voedingscentrum says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. The terms ‘artisan’ and ‘gluten-free’ don’t tell you whether this salt is in the bread.
For packaged bread, check the ingredients. If it matters to your choice and the bread is unwrapped, ask the baker what kind of salt was used.
An online listing doesn’t tell you whether the ingredients in the bread you’re buying are still the same. PLUS notes that ingredients and allergen information can change.
Check the packaging of the product you’re actually buying, and check current availability at your shop.
These shops list gluten-free bread options in their range. That doesn’t automatically mean a particular loaf is suitable for someone with coeliac disease: always check the current product information.
Albert Heijn has an online gluten-free bread category, including own-brand AH products and Schär products.
PLUS lists gluten-free bread, including own-brand loaves and Schär Meesterbakker varieties.
Dirk’s online search results include gluten-free Schär bread products and mini baguettes.
ALDI lists gluten-free bread and rolls in its bakery range.
For gluten-free products, Lidl points shoppers towards options within its standard range.
No. Sourdough alone doesn’t tell you whether bread is gluten-free. Check the gluten-free label, ingredients and warnings for the exact product before considering its style.
The Dutch Coeliac Association says this warning indicates a real risk that the product may contain more than 20 mg of gluten per kilogram. Don’t choose bread carrying this warning for someone with coeliac disease.
Use clean hands, a clean worktop and clean or separate kitchen utensils. The Dutch Coeliac Association advises avoiding cross-contamination, so take care with shared spreads too and keep the bread separate until you serve it.
No. Voedingscentrum says bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the packaging to see whether it has been used; for unwrapped bread, you can ask the baker.
Use online information to find products, but also read the packaging of the product you actually buy. PLUS says that ingredients and allergen information can change.
