As Hovis launches its new ‘British Farmers’ Loaf,’ white and wholemeal bread made using exclusively British wheat, opinions remain split over the company’s marketing campaign. The £3.5 million advertising campaign, centred around an advert depicting a boy helping his father on a farm in trying conditions, has received both praise and derision.  

Though the new bread features pictures of farmer suppliers to Gleadell Grain Merchants on its packets and some have praised the TV advert’s ‘realism’, it has also received criticism on social media forums for glorifying exploitative work of children and portraying farmers as ‘bumpkins’.  

However, Gary Sharkey Head of wheat Procurement at Premier Foods, owners of the Hovis brand, candidly said the bread’s launch aims to capitalise on nationalistic sentiment, which abounds this year. He said, “In this year of British celebration, we believe more consumers will be choosing to buy British brands, supporting British jobs, and our programme to source 100 per cent British wheat for our Hovis loaves clearly demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting British Agriculture.”

The bread launch is aimed to coincide with British Sandwich week, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the sandwich.

Tweet