If you love bread but need to keep on top of salt intake, it's best to check their label as some slices have been found to be as salty as a bag of crisps.
People eating two slices of Hovis Soft White Extra Thick bread would be consuming a fifth of their maximum recommended daily salt intake, according to campaigners at Action on Salt. The group surveyed 242 pre-packaged loaves of sliced bread from 28 firms sold at the UK's largest supermarkets.
The survey results found that the saltiest loaf was Hovis White with Starter Dough, containing 1.48g of salt per 100g of bread. Three quarters of the loaves surveyed contained as much salt or more per slice than the 0.34g found in a packet of ready salted crisps.
Meanwhile, the least salty was Waitrose Rye and Wheat Dark Sourdough, with 0.51g of salt per 100g, the charity found - nearly three times less than the Hovis bread.
The majority of loaves fell below the 2024 maximum salt target set by the Department of Health and Social Care in 2020 - targets that Action on Salt were 'far too lenient'.
The amount of salt in bread has been deemed a 'disgrace' by experts, and the campaign group is calling on the Government to step in and set mandatory salt reduction targets.
They say that even small reductions in the salt content of bread would have a significant impact on public health. Too much salt is known to increase the risk of high blood pressure, which is linked to heart disease and stroke.
Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and Action on Salt chairman, said: "Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure to lower blood pressure and reduce the number of people dying and suffering from strokes and heart disease.
"It's therefore a disgrace that food companies continue to fill our food with so much unnecessary salt, as shown here in bread. For too long the food industry have been in charge of public health, at our expense; it’s time for the Government to stop letting people die needlessly.”
Hovis said: "Over the last 20 years, Hovis has been actively reducing the levels of salt in its products, with the data provided by Action on Salt confirming this notable reduction over time. The vast majority of our range is fully compliant with current salt targets.
"The three Hovis products that Action on Salt have highlighted as exceeding the voluntary salt targets are Cobs, which are part of our premium Hovis 1886 artisanal-inspired range, developed to deliver exceptional taste and variety for those special occasions that they are bought for.
"All our product recipes are continually reviewed in light of evolving guidelines and will continue to be carefully crafted to the highest standards, as they have been for almost 140 years, being enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet."
Previous research on bread suggested salt content had been reduced by eight percent overall since 2011.
However, some appeared to have increased in salt since 2011, including Sainsbury’s Medium Wholemeal, up 19 percent, the charity said.
A Sainsbury's spokeswoman said: "We are committed to helping our customers access healthy and sustainable diets."
The spokeswoman added that Sainsbury's regularly review ranges in line with Government guidance.
Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
