The CPSI has announced its intention to sue Sara Lee over its “Soft & Smooth Made with Whole Grain White Bread,” which claims to combine “all the taste and texture of white bread with the goodness of whole grain,” when actually “there is more water in this product than whole grain,” according to the CSPI.

Sara Lee has apparently been engaging in a “public education” program promoting their actual “whole grain” breads and chiding other brands such as Nature’s Own and Pepperidge Farm for producing sub-standard bread, while lamenting the “confusion” consumers are experiencing over the tyranny of bread choices they must face each and every day.

From Sara Lee’s “Bread Rules” site under the heading “Confusion in the Bread Aisle” (emphasis theirs):

More than 73 percent of consumers surveyed who eat enriched wheat bread incorrectly believe that their wheat bread is 100 percent whole wheat.

Sort of makes you wonder how many consumers incorrectly believe their “white bread made with whole grain” is 100% whole wheat…

From the CSPI’s letter to Sara Lee (emphasis ours):

In its review of Sara Lee’s marketing practices this year, CSPI discovered that Sara Lee used at least two different labels for Whole Grain White Bread.On the June label, Sara Lee makes the preposterous statement that “Sara Lee Soft & Smooth™ Made with Whole Grain White [Bread] = 100% Whole Wheat.”

Whoops. Who knew bread was this complicated?

We may start our own brand of bread called “White Bread For People Who Hate Whole Wheat Bread And Like Lying To Themselves That White Bread Is Healthy.” Think it’ll sell?

Sara Lee Accused of Whole Grain Whitewash [CSPI]
Bread Rules [Sara Lee]
Whole-Grain-o-Meter [Sara Lee]

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