More than 50 bakers have now signed up to the Real Bread Campaign’s Real Bread Loaf Mark, since its launch in September last year.

The Campaign launched the mark in a bid to inform consumers about which loaves are additive-free.

Featuring in the 52 bakeries to sign up are: Artisan Bread Organic, Chalk Hills Bakery, Cinnamon Square and The Thoughtful Bread Company.

The organisation said early adopters of the mark range from start-up kitchen-table micro-bakeries, through high-street family bakeries, to the nationally-distributed Cranks brand.

Chris Young, co-ordinator, Real Bread Campaign, said: “We still call for an Honest Crust Act that requires all bakers to declare everything that goes into a loaf, and for bakers to come clean voluntarily in the meantime, but for now, The Loaf Mark is a quick way for shoppers to see that a loaf is additive-free.’

In a survey carried out for the Campaign, by Toluna, it claimed more than 70% of Britons believed it was unacceptable that an ingredient/additives list doesn’t have to be displayed for unwrapped loaves, and that processing aids don’t have to appear on any ingredients list.

According to the report, 85% of those polled said they thought a mark to show a loaf was additive-free would be useful.

Bakers wanting to use the mark must sign an annual agreement that he/she will only use it to promote loaves made without the use of any processing aids or other artificial additives.

Full details can be found at www.realbreadcampaign.org.