M&S is updating the packaging of its ‘Only 5 Ingredients White Rolls’ and Light Rye Flour after a complaint to Trading Standards.
The Real Bread Campaign complained to Trading Standards last May about a “numerical mismatch” in labelling claims on the rolls, which declare 11 ingredients on the back of pack despite the front of pack claim to only five.
Having said it was reviewing the labelling in October, M&S has now provided a timescale for corrections, according to the Real Bread Campaign.
An update received by the campaign on 28 January from a Trading Standards officer at London Borough of Tower Hamlets said new labelling would be implemented by M&S as existing stock sold. It said the revised artwork was expected to be in the market during the first quarter of the new financial year, with April or May the best estimate.
Alongside its complaint about the rolls, the Real Bread Campaign objected to the claim ‘ancient wheat variety’ on M&S’s Light Rye Flour, saying it was a “factually inaccurate” description of modern rye.
The Trading Standards update said revised rye flour packaging had arrived on site with M&S suppliers, and the retailer anticipated stock transition during February, subject to normal production and distribution timelines.
“We welcome this news and look forward to seeing M&S introduce new labelling and marketing that is legally compliant, factually correct and free from misleading claims,” said Real Bread Campaign co-ordinator Chris Young.
“It is frustrating when big corporations cause unnecessary extra work for an overstretched Trading Standards service, and continue profiting from people’s trust during the many months it often takes to resolve cases.”
The bread rolls were among the first products in M&S’s ‘Only… Ingredients’ range, which launched last spring.
It is not the only line in the range to have drawn criticism. M&S’s Only 5 Ingredients Dark Chocolate & Almond Date Bar – which listed nine ingredients on the back – was slammed in April last year by development chef Anthony Warner. “Really uncomfortable with this trend,” he said. “Using this logic, a Dairy Milk is just one ingredient.”
M&S appeared to have adapted its approach as it doubled the range with 12 additional lines at the start of this year, including ketchup and sausages, all of which claim the same number of ingredients on the front of pack as they list on the back.
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However, the range continues to spark conversation, including a long debate on LinkedIn this week about the new Only 8 Ingredients Tomato Ketchup. “Here is the reality: The market-leading Heinz Ketchup also has eight ingredients,” wrote Emilia Bland, founder of marketing consultancy Löylymark.
Noting that M&S’s ketchup contains agave instead of refined sugar, retail strategist Phil McMahon said: “Agave isn’t a health food, it’s just a different way of delivering sugar.”
M&S was approached for comment.
Commenting as the new lines were unveiled in January, M&S head of food innovation Annette Peters said: “With refined sugar, there’s nothing but sugar, but there’s going to be other added elements with agave.
“Part of the brand values and the holistic view to this whole approach is to get as close to whole foods as possible, to get as far away from refined ingredients as we possibly can.
“So if we then put white sugar in it, would feel very incongruent.”
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