Aussies don’t loaf around with their bread. Our latest survey revealed that one in five shoppers (20%) buy multiple loaves on their weekly grocery shop. While wholemeal or multigrain are typically considered healthier options, it’s hard to pass up a nice slice of white bread. It can be used for so many meals, whether it’s a simple morning toast with smashed avocado, or a delicious bread and butter pudding. So, out of all the options out there, which white bread do Aussies rate the bread to their butter? Canstar Blue has the answer.
Canstar Blue surveyed 1,086 Australians for their feedback on the white bread they’ve purchased from a supermarket or grocer (and consumed) within the last three months. Note: this does not include bread purchased from an independent bakery or bakery chain.
Respondents rate their satisfaction with their brand(s) of white bread from zero to ten, where zero is extremely dissatisfied and ten is extremely satisfied. Brand satisfaction was rated by respondents on the following criteria:
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Wonder was the superhero of the white bread ratings, with five stars for freshness, taste, texture, variety and range, packaging convenience, and overall satisfaction. Meanwhile, supermarket brands Woolworths and Coles shared a five-star win for value for money.
Find more detailed information on our ratings methodology.
Wonder produces what it describes as ‘deliciously soft and nutritious’ bread and wraps, with all loaves stated to have at least a four-star health rating. Its range, including Wonder White, is also claimed to be high in fibre, a good source of protein, and free from added sugars and artificial preservatives. Some products include the White Vitamins & Minerals Sandwich Loaf, White Fibre Sandwich Loaf, and White Active Low GI Loaf. These generally cost around $3.90, with some gluten-free options jumping up to $6.80.
While only a few brands qualified in our latest survey, that doesn’t mean there aren’t others worth plating up. Here are a few more options you can check out at the supermarket or grocer.
White bread is generally seen as less healthy than wholemeal bread, for example, because it’s said to be lower in fibre and protein, and higher in refined carbohydrates. This can create a surplus of sugar in the bloodstream, that if not utilised as ‘fuel’, can be stored as fat in the body. With white bread, it’s best to stick to the golden rule – everything in moderation.
Homemade bread can be healthier because it usually contains fewer ingredients compared to store-bought bread. This mostly means removing the preservatives and other ingredients designed to extend the shelf life of supermarket bread. Plus, you can customise the bread recipe to have less sugar and salt or make substitutions to suit your dietary requirements. However, buying bread from the supermarket is often more convenient and cheaper.
Some prefer to buy freshly baked bread from the local bakery or in-house bakery at the supermarket because of the apparent quality of ingredients. Buying a loaf made with whole grains is great because each kernel is kept intact throughout the whole bread-making process, ensuring you still get the fibre, vitamins, minerals (i.e. magnesium) and healthy fats that you naturally get from whole grains.
Packaged bread tends to contain refined grains that don’t provide the same level of nutrients as whole grains, due to the way the grains are processed; which removes a large chunk of B vitamins, vitamin E and fibre. Packaged bread may also feature bleached flour rather than unbleached flour. Unlike unbleached flour, which is said to naturally bleach as it ages, bleached flour has had chemical agents added to make the aging process faster.
Wonder is clearly worth trying, having achieved five-star reviews in most research categories and previously topping our white bread ratings in 2018 and 2022. Woolworths and Coles bread are additionally worth tucking into if you’re shopping for an affordable option.
You may have to try a few different options of white bread to find one that satisfies your tastebuds. With that said, our survey found about a third of Aussies (32%) buy two loaves a week, and of those white bread experts, one-fifth (21%) think that premium brands taste better than cheaper ones.
It’s also important to take into account nutritional value. White bread is generally considered the least healthy member of the bread family as it contains a higher number of refined grains and sugars. Look for white bread that has the highest amount of protein, calcium and iron instead.
In a nutshell, you’ll need to shop around to find a brand of white bread that tastes good and offers value for money.
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Megan is Canstar Blue’s Home & Lifestyle Editor, leading the team that focuses on consumer products and services, ranging from supermarkets and groceries to home and personal appliances and retail stores. She interprets Canstar Blue’s bespoke research on the thousands of brands that we compare, rate and review, to help shoppers make better purchasing decisions.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
Here are the previous winners from Canstar Blue’s white bread ratings:
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