Thomasina Miers, a home sourdough baker, has tested and rated supermarket sourdough loaves available in the UK. She found several loaves with good texture, flavour, and crumb, but noted that none declared salt content, which significantly impacts flavour. She also highlighted that only Wildfarmed mentioned pesticide and herbicide use, raising questions about the value of spending more on bread.
The top-rated loaf was Jason's Sourdough, available at Ocado and Tesco for £2 (44p/100g), earning five stars. Miers described it as delicious with great provenance, a delicate tang, and a crumb that stayed fresh for several days. It also made excellent breadcrumbs and bruschetta.
Other notable loaves included a bloomer with a nice tangy flavour but dense crumb, a loaf made from a 12-year-old starter with good texture, and a San Francisco-style loaf with a light tang from a 30-year-old starter. However, some loaves disappointed, such as one with rye flour that had a dense crumb and little flavour, and another with a glossy egg wash that felt unlike typical sourdough.
Miers concluded that while some supermarket sourdoughs are surprisingly good, shoppers should look for loaves with clear provenance and avoid those with dense textures or lacking flavour.
