Bakery Trends in Europe

Bakery Trends in Europe: What Is Changing in the Category

European bakery is undergoing an undramatic but very consistent underlying change: roughly the same kilos of bread are sold as a few years ago, but turnover is considerably higher. Behind that figure lie a shift towards higher-value breads, a frozen industry that has become the infrastructure of the category and a regulatory framework that is increasingly demanding on salt, labelling and waste. This article reviews the trends that are redefining the sector and what they mean for manufacturers, distributors and points of sale.

A market that grows in value, not in volume

The figure that best sums up the situation comes from the Spanish frozen dough industry. According to ASEMAC’s annual report, between 2018 and 2025 the sector’s production grew by 1.17% while turnover increased by 47.46%; in the specific case of bread, volume fell by 5.56% over that period. In 2025, total production was 980,876 tonnes (-0.65%) with turnover of 2,001.63 million euros (+3.20%).

Sourdough and long fermentation

Sourdough has established itself as the main signal of perceived quality, and in Spain it is precisely regulated. Real Decreto 308/2019, the quality standard for bread, makes the claim “made with sourdough” conditional on verifiable requirements: at least 5% sourdough relative to the total weight of the flour, absence of additives, specific pH and acidity values in the sourdough and in the final product, and a maximum of 0.2% baker’s yeast relative to the total flour.

It is a relevant difference compared with other European markets, where the term is used far more loosely, and it is worth bearing in mind when comparing products or drafting data sheets and labels.

Clean Label and the ultra-processed debate

Demand for short, recognisable ingredient lists has moved from niche to mainstream. Innova Market Insights estimates that around a third of European food launches carry some kind of clean label claim, and places Spain among the markets where the most consumers say they want to understand the origin of ingredients.

In parallel, the debate on ultra-processed foods remains open on the regulatory front: the European Commission has announced specific work on this issue, but there is currently no European legislation regulating foods by their degree of processing. For bakery the nuance is important, because many classifications penalise the presence of additives more than the nutritional profile: a bread formulated without additives can fall outside that categorisation without changing its nutritional composition.

What these trends mean

For a manufacturer, growth is in the premium range and in the ability to sustain verifiable claims. For a distributor, in range segmentation and waste management. And for the point of sale, in the possibility of offering variety and recent product throughout the day without multiplying the risk.

Frequently asked questions

Is bread consumption falling in Europe?

In volume, the long-term trend is stability or a slight decline; in value, the market is growing. In Spain, consumption stayed practically flat in 2025 while the market grew by 3% in value.

What is bake-off and why is it growing?

It is the baking of bread at the point of sale itself from frozen par-baked product. It is growing because it makes it possible to offer freshly baked bread with a wide range, without an in-house bakery and with far more controllable waste.

Can an industrial bread contain sourdough?

Yes, provided it meets the requirements of Real Decreto 308/2019 to use that claim: minimum percentage relative to the flour, absence of additives and the established pH and acidity values.

Is frozen bread less sustainable because of the cold chain?

The cold chain has an energy cost, but it makes it possible to produce on demand and significantly reduces the bread that is discarded, which is one of the main sources of waste in the category. The balance depends on each operation, and it is worth assessing it with your own waste data.

Which breads are growing the most?

Wholemeal breads and those with seeds and cereals, along with long-fermentation breads with a pronounced crust. In Spain, fresh wholemeal bread grew by 8.5% in 2025 according to MAPA.

About OKIN

OKIN, a brand of Artadi Alimentación, S.L., is a manufacturer of frozen par-baked bread based in Zumaia (Gipuzkoa), specialising in Clean Label solutions — bread without additives or preservatives — for food distribution, retail and foodservice. As a family-owned company with a track record in professional bakery, it develops product families for each type of service: Efi, Rústikos, Premiere, Zereal+, Gourmet, Koskor, Gastro, Eko, Akua, Integral and Frizzante.

If you want to see how these trends translate into product, you can explore the available families in Choose your bread or get in touch with the team.