PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
Real Bread week campaign (22 February 2021)

That this House celebrates Real Bread Week and the recent upsurge in interest in traditional baking methods; welcomes the role of many small and medium sized bakeries across the UK in providing quality and choice for their customers; regrets that commercial pressures have too often led to the inclusion of so-called processing aids and other additives in mass-produced baked goods; further regrets that pressure exerted by retailers on suppliers has seen a general deskilling of the workforce and race to the bottom in the pay and conditions of those employed in the baking industry; is concerned about the implications of automation in further limiting the volume and quality of jobs in the sector; believes that consumers and workers alike benefit from the production methods in the baking of Real Bread, made with healthy, natural ingredients; and therefore calls on the UK government to introduce a new Honest Crust Act to ensure clear and accurate labelling of baked products, and to invest in the ability of businesses of all sizes to further develop skills and well-paid employment opportunities in the sector.

Sponsored by:
Ian Mearns (Labour)