A new step taken in the collective agreement with the bakery sector: -25% salt in bread

In March 2022, all stakeholders in the bakery sector committed to gradually reducing the salt content in different types of bread by 2025. Based on the report from the Food Observatory (Oqali) published on December 16, 2024the results of the second campaign to evaluate the achievement of the objectives demonstrate the significant efforts of the players in the sector: -18% salt in wholemeal breads and cereals since 2009 and -25% salt in common breads since 2015.

While the incidence of chronic diseases linked to nutrition has continued to increase in recent decades, reducing the salt consumption of the French is a major issue in order to reduce blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and myocardial infarction. Bread being one of the main contributors of salt to the French population, the National Food and Nutrition Program launched in 2019 planned to initiate collective action with stakeholders in the baking sector to progressively reduce salt.

As part of an ambitious collective agreement[1]artisan bakers, bakery companies, distributors as well as millers and manufacturers of intermediate products have committed to reducing the salt content in standard and traditional breads, wholemeal and cereal breads as well as sandwich breads.

The thresholds to be respected for salt, the number of breads taken during this second evaluation campaign, as well as the average salt content measured in the breads analyzed and the rate of compliance with the thresholds are presented by type of bread in the figure below.

More than 80% of common and traditional breads as well as wholemeal breads and cereals, and 98% of sandwich breads analyzed complied with the salt thresholds provided for by the agreement. Significant disparities between regions and distribution circuits were nevertheless observed.

While this campaign constitutes the last step provided for by the agreement for common and traditional breads as well as wholemeal breads and cereals, the signatories of the agreement undertake to strengthen awareness among their members so that all breads respect the salt thresholds, whatever the region and distribution circuits. For professionals selling sandwich breads, reduction efforts will continue until 2025, with a final commitment of 1.1 g of salt/100 g of bread.

The results of this evaluation of the bakery sector agreement demonstrate the ability of stakeholders to effectively reduce the salt content of bread in a collective and voluntary approach. Faced with major health challenges, it is essential to continue efforts in this direction in order to generally improve the nutritional quality of the food supply.

Public authorities will pay particular attention to the implementation of ambitious and collective reformulation actions, prioritizing the reduction of salt, sugar, saturated fatty acid contents and the increase of fiber contents in the most contributing foods.

[1] National Confederation of French Bakery and Pastry, Federation of Bakery Companies, Union of Biscuits, Cakes and Breads of France, French Union of Specialized Nutrition, Federation of Commerce and Distribution, E. Leclerc, Intermarché, National Association of Meunerie Française, National Union of Manufacturers of Intermediate Products for bakery, pastry and pastries.

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