A review of supermarket sliced wholemeal bread has named Jason's sourdough wholemeal ciabattin as the best overall loaf, with Aldi's Specially Selected wholemeal seeded loaf rated the best bargain.
The taste test, conducted by a wholegrain enthusiast, found that most supermarket wholemeal loaves are made using the Chorleywood process, an industrial method developed in the 1960s that produces bread in just three and a half hours using high-speed mechanical processes and chemical additives. This process now accounts for about 80% of bread made in the UK.
Top Rated Loaves
Jason's sourdough wholemeal ciabattin, priced at £2.20 for 580g at Morrisons (38p/100g) and £2.35 at Waitrose (41p/100g), scored four stars. It is described as a small, round-topped tin loaf with a closed crumb, a dense texture perfect for spreading, and an evenly glazed crust. The loaf has a sweet, wheatgrass aroma, a medium-firm bite, and a sweet, nutty taste without any bitterness. Its ingredients list is simple: wholemeal wheat flour, water, wheat gluten, fermented wheat flour, and salt, with zero additives and no palm oil.
Aldi's Specially Selected wholemeal seeded loaf, at 99p for 800g (13p/100g, in store only), also scored three stars. It is a soft loaf speckled with millet, sunflower and other seeds, with a fresh and wholesome malty aroma. It yields to the bite with good texture from the seeds and the chewy crust. It contains three additives (two emulsifiers, one preservative) but is palm oil-free.
Other Contenders
Wildfarmed regenerative sliced seeded bread, £2.25 for 550g at Ocado and Tesco (41p/100g), scored four stars. It is a soft and seedy loaf with a roasted barley and fermented yeast aroma, a sweet flavour with complex nuttiness and a toasted bran finish. Made with flour from cereals grown by Wildfarmed's regenerative farming project, it is B Corp-certified with zero additives and palm oil-free.
Exceptional by Asda wholemeal superseeded sliced loaf, £1.60 for 800g (20p/100g), scored three stars. It has a thick slice with a medium closed crumb and a sweet, nutty aroma. It is a bit gummy but has substance and a good, textural bite from sunflower, pumpkin and linseed seeds. It has a well-balanced flavour profile with zero additives, but contains palm oil and palm fat.
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference multiseed wholemeal farmhouse loaf, £1.60 for 800g (20p/100g), scored three stars. It is a proud loaf with a deep, caramel-glazed crust, a sweet, malty but sour aroma, and a dense, firm crumb with mixed seeds throughout, mainly millet and sunflower. It is firm and crunchy with a sweet, nutty flavour and no bitterness, with zero additives but containing palm oil.
Tesco Finest wholemeal seeds and grains, £1.75 for 800g (22p/100g), scored three stars. It is a soft, seedy loaf topped with wheat flakes, with a rich, bran-forward aroma and a simple flavour with a savoury, nutty finish and a decent bite. It has zero additives and is palm oil-free.
Lower Rated Loaves
M&S medium wholemeal super soft loaf, 75p for 800g at Ocado (10p/100g), scored two stars. It is a soft loaf with a closed crumb and gummy texture, a sweet, nutty aroma with a bitter, burnt finish. It is sweet at first with a nice, nutty middle. It has zero additives but contains palm oil, and is described as exceptional value.
Allinson's The Champion wholemeal, £1.50 for 650g at Asda (24p/100g) and £1.80 at Ocado (28p/100g), scored two stars. It is a dark, round-topped sandwich loaf with a closed crumb and soft, gluey texture, an acrid, over-toasted bran aroma and a distinctive malty but bitter bran flavour. It has zero additives or labelled artificial preservatives, is emulsifier-free, and contains certified "sustainable" palm oil.
Hovis granary wholemeal, £1.95 for 800g at Tesco (25p/100g) and £2 at Waitrose (25p/100g), scored two stars. It is a rich, tanned loaf topped with wheat flakes, with a sweet, nutty aroma and a soft texture. It has a simple, bran-forward flavour with a bitter aftertaste, three additives (one preservative, two emulsifiers), but is palm oil-free.
Co-op Bakery farmhouse wholemeal, £1.30 for 800g (17p/100g), scored one star. It is a standard soft wholemeal loaf with a closed crumb, a sweet but mildly synthetic aroma and a gummy texture. It has a sweet-forward flavour with subtle, nutty notes and a pleasant aftertaste, but contains three additives (two emulsifiers, one preservative) plus palm oil and palm fat.
The review notes that while most sandwich loaves are hard to navigate for those seeking palm oil-free options with zero additives, emulsifiers or preservatives, several options fit the bill, and all loaves scored well on value.
