If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the label on the specific pack – the colour of the bread and its wholegrain content won’t tell you whether it’s suitable. A loaf made with white and wholemeal flour could give you the taste you’re looking for, provided its ingredients fit your avoidance needs. Even with bread labelled gluten-free, you’ll still need to check the other ingredients and any ‘may contain’ information.
The current label must match the specific dietary restriction. Schär describes Meisterbäckers Classic as gluten-free. According to its ingredients list, the bread contains soya protein and may contain traces of lupin and mustard.
If you don’t need to avoid wheat or gluten, you can look for a tasty combination of sandwich bread and wholegrain ingredients. According to EDEKA, GUT&GÜNSTIG Sandwich-Toast Vollkorn contains 60% wholemeal wheat flour, as well as other wheat flour.
A single claim such as ‘gluten-free’ isn’t enough. The breads described by Schär and EDEKA differ in their ingredients and potential traces, so it’s important to check the label on the specific product you choose.
First, check that the ingredients and any potential traces are compatible with your dietary restrictions. Then, taste, pack size and availability can help you choose between suitable products.
| Criteria | What to check before buying | Who it matters most to |
|---|---|---|
| Allergens and traces | Check the ingredients, highlighted allergens and ‘may contain’ information on the current pack against your dietary restrictions. | If I need to avoid certain ingredients or potential traces, I can’t rely on the words ‘gluten-free’ alone. This check is the top priority for around 50% of shoppers. |
| Taste and type of grain | If you want toast with wholegrain ingredients, check the types of grain used and their proportions. Don’t confuse spelt or wholemeal wheat with gluten-free. | I’m looking for a tasty toast with wholegrain ingredients, and I don’t need to avoid wheat or gluten. For around 30% of shoppers, finding this balance of flavour is the main consideration. |
| Pack size and availability | Check the pack size, storage instructions after opening and availability of the product you want. | If several breads meet my needs, I want to choose a pack I can finish in time. For around 20% of shoppers, this practical consideration comes first. |
According to EDEKA, GUT&GÜNSTIG Sandwich-Toast Vollkorn contains wheat flour, while the spelt version contains spelt ingredients. EU Implementing Regulation No 828/2014 lists spelt as a type of wheat.
If you need to avoid gluten or wheat, check the label on the specific pack rather than judging by the bread’s colour, seeds or the word ‘wholemeal’.
Schär lists soya protein as an ingredient in Meisterbäckers Classic and states that it may contain traces of lupin and mustard. The gluten-free claim doesn’t answer these other allergen questions.
Check all relevant ingredients and ‘may contain’ information against your dietary restrictions.
The customer notice issued by Lidl on 8 May 2024 concerned two named Grafschafter sandwich products with best-before dates up to and including 21 May 2024. It doesn’t apply as a general statement about other products.
If you see a recall notice, compare the product name, pack size, batch, best-before date and scope of the notice with your pack.
Sliced bread from the Meisterbäckers range, including Meisterbäckers Classic.
Sandwich toast in wholemeal and spelt varieties.
REWE’s own-label range, which includes different types of toast.
Toast and sandwich products in Lidl’s range.
No, spelt toast isn’t a gluten-free alternative. EU Implementing Regulation No 828/2014 lists spelt as a type of wheat. The spelt sandwich bread described by EDEKA contains spelt flour, spelt bran and wholemeal spelt flour.
No, this claim doesn’t replace the need to check other ingredients and possible traces. Schär lists soya protein as an ingredient in Meisterbäckers Classic and states that it may contain traces of lupin and mustard.
Check the ingredients list, highlighted allergens and any ‘may contain’ information relevant to your dietary restrictions on the current pack. The German federal government identifies the ingredients list as an essential source of information about the composition of packaged foods.
REWE advises resealing the pack after opening and eating the bread within a few days or freezing it straight away. Follow the instructions on your pack; this advice may not apply to every type of toast bread.
Compare the details in the current notice with the product name, pack size, batch and best-before date on your pack. The Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety and the German federal states publish recall information on the official food alert portal.