Bizarre ‘Anglo men’ white bread claim triggers backlash

An ABC commentator’s bizarre claim that only “Anglo men” and upper class Australians such as PM Scott Morrison buy white bread has triggered backlash among immigrants and bakers.

An ABC commentator’s bizarre claim that only “Anglo men” and upper class Australians such as PM Scott Morrison buy white bread has triggered backlash among immigrants and bakers, who say white bread is a food staple for Australians of all backgrounds.

University of Technology Professor of Indigenous Policy Nareen Young made the comment on the ABC’s The Drum after Mr Morrison said he ate “normal white bread” when asked if he preferred sourdough or multigrain on Sunrise.

“Who eats white bread in this country? Anglo men,” she said, before elaborating that middle and upper class Australians were usually more likely to purchase white bread.

“I come from a working class background. We had brown bread because we were healthy. I think it shows a deep lack of understanding about who works in this country,” she said.

Woolworths white bread sells for $1.80.

Woolworths wholemeal and multigrain bread sells for $2.55.

University of Sydney consumer behaviour expert Dr Rohan Miller said the idea that race and class dictated bread purchasing behaviour was outdated, with most consumers choosing bread for practical reasons, such as their child’s taste preferences and nutritional content.

“I think that looking at the demographic profile is more outdated and leads to an unsophisticated debate,” he said.

“Most people shopping for bread look at the usage of the bread and things like how much it costs or whether they will use it in school lunches. It comes down to function and habits.”

A 2019 study in the Journal of Marketing Research found brand perception, price and nutritional content were the key factors in Australian’s bread preferences, with more frugal shoppers often more inclined to purchase cheaper bread such as white.

“It seems that brands provide a shortcut to our preferences — so if we care about health we buy Helga’s, or if our focus is value for money we buy a supermarket brand,” UTS Centre of Busines Intelligence deputy director Associate Professor Paul Burke said.

That study found the type of wheat was an important factor in decision making, with more than half of those surveyed opting for wholemeal breads compared with 35 per centwho bought white varieties and 10 per cent who bought unbleached varieties.

With a loaf of white bread at Woolworths costing about $0.35 to $0.75 less than wholemeal bread, the claim that white bread was a staple reserved for the middle class doesn’t pass the pub test.

This is backed up by a 1997 literature review on bread consumption and class in the Appetite Journal, which found wholegrain bread became the preference of choice for the upper class in the 20th century because of its superior nutritional benefits.

Hay and Yen Lim own Lim's bakery in Eastwood say many Asians buy white bread.

Vietnamese-Australian Yen Lim from Lim’s Hot Bread in Eastwood said it was a wild generalisation to claim only white people and the middle or upper class buy white bread.

“Definitely that as just a general comment is totally wrong. We have been here 28 years, we do the same amount of white bread as wholemeal bread,” she said.

“People buy it on the basis of what they like, not just because they’re white,” she said. “You would be surprised at the number of Asian people who buy white bread.”

Ramdhari Raby, from India, visits Lim’s Hot Bread on a weekly basis to purchase white bread because it’s cheaper and tastes better. He denied that it was a product mainly for Anglo Australians.

“It’s cheaper, fresh and tastes good,” he said.

Dragita from Liverpool Supreme Bakery said “a whole mix of people” purchase white bread.

“It‘s not only white men buying white bread. Our best selling bread is homemade Vienna bread. It’s white bread,” she said.

Brigitte Young from Breadtop in Eastwood said white bread was the most popular choice among people with Asian backgrounds.

“Most people who buy the white load are Chinese are Asian. They particularly like the flavoured type,” she said.