If organic is a must for you, choose bread labelled wholemeal and check the organic designation and certification mark on the packaging. Pick a size you can finish, and check which salt has been used. Standard wholemeal bread is only an alternative if organic is a preference rather than a requirement.
You want wholemeal bread that is certified organic. Skal Biocontrole identifies the EU organic logo as a mandatory marker on prepacked organic food produced in the EU. If bread is a regular part of your diet, check the salt too.
You’re looking for everyday bread that you’ll actually finish. A whole or half loaf may suit your household better; standard wholemeal bread is only an option if organic isn’t a firm requirement.
You often eat organic bread and want to know whether it contains baker’s salt or iodised salt. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt, so check the ingredients list or ask when buying unpackaged bread.
First decide whether organic is a must. Then compare breads that meet that requirement by size, and check the salt used if it matters to your choice.
| What to consider | What should you check? | Who should pay particular attention? |
|---|---|---|
| Organic designation | Check whether the bread is labelled organic. For prepacked bread produced in the EU, also look for the EU organic logo. | If organic is a requirement for me, I want to be able to check the designation on the bread. This is a priority for around 29% of consumers. |
| Everyday budget | Compare the weight of whole and half loaves, and decide whether organic is a requirement or a preference. | I buy bread regularly and want to choose a size that suits my household. Around 29% of consumers put this budget consideration first. |
| Salt used | Look for baker’s salt or iodised salt in the ingredients list; ask about it when buying unpackaged bread. | If I eat organic bread often, I want to know which salt it contains. This is the main concern for around 24% of consumers. |
| Size and storage | Choose a size you can finish, and check the storage instructions if you want to freeze the bread. | If I won’t get through a whole loaf quickly, I want to avoid having slices left over. This matters most to around 18% of consumers. |
According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. So the organic designation doesn’t tell you which salt the bread contains.
Read the ingredients list or ask the baker which salt has been used when buying unpackaged bread.
According to the Voedingscentrum, bread is among the foods that are often wasted. A size you can’t finish may not suit your everyday needs.
Choose a half loaf if that works better for you, or check the freezing instructions before taking home a whole loaf.
The wholemeal designation means something different from the organic designation. Standard wholemeal bread won’t meet your personal requirement to buy organic.
Decide whether organic is a must before comparing products, and check both designations separately.
A product page can remain online even when the bread listed is no longer available. The page for Jumbo Biologisch Volkoren Meergranen Half included a notice like this.
Check the current range and read the packaging of the bread you actually choose.
The examples below show which product labels and packaging details you can check for each brand. A retailer’s organic range doesn’t, by itself, tell you anything about an individual wholemeal loaf.
Albert Heijn lists AH Biologisch Batard volkoren zonnepit gesneden as organic wholemeal bread.
Jumbo has a product page for Biologisch Volkoren Meergranen Half.
Lidl describes an organic range that includes breakfast cereals and crackers.
ALDI describes its standard wholemeal loaves as made with 100% wholemeal flour.
PLUS lists Boeren volkoren heel as standard wholemeal bread.
Dirk lists Vloerbrood volkoren heel and also describes a broader organic range.
Check the organic designation and the EU organic logo. According to Skal Biocontrole, this logo is compulsory for prepacked food produced in the EU and sold as organic. It doesn’t tell you which salt has been used.
No, the organic designation doesn’t tell you which salt is used. According to the Voedingscentrum, bakers aren’t required to use baker’s salt. Check the ingredients list or ask when buying unpackaged bread.
Check the designation and ingredients for the specific bread. The Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority states that the grain component of a product labelled wholemeal must consist of 100% wholemeal flour.
Choose a size you can finish, or check whether you can freeze the bread. According to the Voedingscentrum, bread is often wasted; PLUS states that its Boeren volkoren heel can be frozen at home on the day of purchase. Follow the instructions on the packaging for any other loaf.
