Tesco is to break a centuries-old rule by making and selling a range of irregularly-sized loaves of bread .
The supermarket Tesco will sell loaves ranging from 300g for single housholders to 1kg “weekender” loaf for a family following an EU decision to relax the rule.
Until now pre-packed bread sold in the UK was only sold in 400g and 800g batches. But Tesco said it was introducing the new sizes in anticipation of plans to relax the rules.
Simon Holt, spokesman for the retailer’s in-store bakery, commented: “The end of restrictions on the size of a traditional standard loaf is a huge milestone for the British bakery industry and one that takes into account important social changes.”
“But more importantly this historic move will be heralded as the best thing since sliced bread for not only the millions of single householders wanting smaller loaves but also larger families wanting something to last longer.”
He added that the new range of different bread sizes “will help towards reducing food waste” in the UK and “will finally bring Britain in line with bread sizes across the rest of Europe” .
Tesco will trial the 300g loaf, priced at 49p, at its Kensington store in London, while the 600g and 1000g loaves will be trialled in stores around the country and will cost customers 80p and £1 respectively.
Irregular weights of goods were outlawed by the Magna Carta signing in 1215. Quantities for bread were later established by the Bread Acts of 1822 and 1836.
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