Consumer demand for fresh and novel-tasting bread and bakery products continues to rise, reports Jonathan Thomas.
The bread and bakery goods industry remains an important customer for many producers of frozen foods. Bread remains an important dietary staple throughout much of the world, purchased regularly by many consumers.
Global consumption of bread is estimated at around 56 million tonnes, of which the Asia-Pacific region accounts for 21 million tonnes of production. Some of the world’s leading consumers of bread in per capita terms include Turkey (200 kg), Serbia (135 kg) and Bulgaria (130 kg), compared with under 5 kg in countries such as Brazil and India. Worldwide bread consumption has held up in recent years despite problems within the global supply chain caused by trade embargoes and adverse weather conditions.
According to a 2025 report on the global bakery products market by Innova, freshness remains the most important attribute within the bread market. This was cited by 50% of consumers as a key factor impacting upon purchasing, especially amongst those in the older age groups. In contrast, younger age groups such as millennials and those belonging to Generation Z were more concerned with branding, packaging and advertising.
The Innova report also found that taste was an important consideration when buying sweet bakery goods such as pastries, mentioned by over 60% of consumers. One effect of this has been greater experimentation with flavours within the category, such as developing pastries based on desserts or foods associated with yesteryear.
White bread remains the most popular option
White bread is the most popular variety, accounting for around 40% of global consumption. However, the market features a multitude of different varieties, with local preferences much in evidence – for example, rye and pumpernickel breads are popular with German consumers, while France has a sizeable market for baguettes, which account for up to a third of overall consumption.
In European markets such as the UK, the popularity of speciality bread continues to increase as consumer tastes become more sophisticated, a trend which has not been lost on suppliers of frozen products.
According to the latest edition of the annual report published by the Federation of Bakers (FoB) in partnership with Kantar, UK value sales of speciality bread increased by 7% to GBP1.1bn in the year ending March 2025, while pack sales rose by almost 4% to 896 million. Some of the top performing speciality breads during this time included baguettes (up by nearly 26%), flatbread (up by 23%) and crusty varieties (up by over 13%). Sourdough has also been a dynamic performer during this time, with value sales increasing by more than 55%.
Much of sourdough’s appeal lies in its healthy image which resonates with many consumers. Interest also continues to grow in bread carrying some form of health claim or benefit in markets such as the UK.
The UK market for gluten-free bread was valued at almost £190m by the FoB in 2025, with penetration rates now standing at 10% of all consumers. Meanwhile, around 20% of households in Great Britain are now opting for bakery goods with a high protein content, attracted by its various health attributes (e.g. its links with improved weight management).
Although bakery goods such as bread are typically purchased fresh in many parts of the world, there is a significant global demand for frozen dough and/or part-baked (sometimes referred to as ‘bake-off’) solutions which can be prepared inside or outside the home. The size of the market by country depends largely upon the preferred channels through which consumers prefer to buy bakery goods, e.g. whether this is done via supermarkets or smaller artisanal bakers.
To read the entire article, please access your complimentary e-copy of Frozen Food Europe September-October, 2025 issue here.