Is buying fresh bread from the supermarket ‘disgusting’? Shoppers are divided as some insist they will not buy unwrapped loaves of bread that people have ‘squeezed with dirty hands’

The smell of freshly baked bread wafting from the supermarket bakery aisle is enough to entice a crowd of customers to search a shelf in seconds for the perfect crusty loaf.

But the thought of multiple customers standing over unwrapped bread left out in the open is enough to put some people off buying the baked goods, as discussed in a heated Reddit debate on Sunday.

One suspicious shopper began sharing his concerns on the subreddit r/CasualUK, in a after which has since attracted over 700 votes and 330 comments from fellow foodies.

The troubled customer asked, “Does anyone agree that it is strange for bakery bread to be left uncovered and unwrapped for the masses to grab?”

The Reddit user went on to explain that they aren’t too concerned about root vegetables and other food items that typically appear without packaging because they can be peeled, washed, or cooked before eating.

They said, ‘I don’t care if they are root vegetables because I peel and cook them, whereas with bread I would eat the crust, biofilm and all.’

Many shoppers agreed with the individual and shared their own experiences of how customers spread germs by “coughing and sneezing” or by not washing their hands before touching items.

One wrote: ‘I went shopping with a friend the other day. They squeezed out all the bread with their dirty hands. When you see the state of the toilets in the supermarkets and how few people wash their hands (half of those who do, only opt for the quick wet thing, no soap).

‘It’s not so snobbish to be put off by uncovered food when the majority are sloppy. I would look for food covered in soil and natural dirt, but tiger bread with extra poop particles? No.’

Another pointed out that cross-contamination problems could arise for people with allergies if those who touch the bread have not washed their hands properly.

Others, however, couldn’t understand why people are so concerned about buying bread that might be contaminated with someone’s germs.

One person wrote: ‘You’re breathing all kinds of cr** compared to the odd person who touches your scab,’ while another joked: ‘You have an immune system, don’t you? Use it!’

Another added: It’s honestly crazy. This obsession with a sterile environment is both an illusion and only a recent invention.’

Someone living in Japan warned that things could go too far and we risk ending up with even more packaging waste.

“I currently live in Japan and they have taken this to new extremes,” they explained.

‘Everything is wrapped in plastic, even individually wrapped bananas. Anything that isn’t in plastic, like some bakery products and some fruits and veggies at the grocery store, when you pay for it at the checkout, they put it in 1 or 2 layers of plastic whether you want them to or not.

“You buy an onigiri (already wrapped in plastic) at a convenience store and then they put it in another plastic bag for you before asking if you want a tote bag too.”

A neutral individual wrote, “Personally, it doesn’t bother me that much, but I can certainly understand the mentality.”

Meanwhile, skeptical shoppers revealed their reasons for avoiding unwrapped bread, with one person explaining: ‘If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that there are sections of the general public who lack basic personal hygiene.

“Just yesterday I was using a public restroom and noticed at least two people not washing their hands.”

Another wrote: ‘People are disgusting. Given unlimited access to food, people will viciously or idiotically sneeze into the food, lick and replace cutlery, cross-contaminate food, or use unwashed hands to handle the food.”

Many consumers shared their own experiences of seeing customers spread germs, while others criticized people’s choice not to purchase bread that may have been contaminated

A final suspicious food service worker warned: ‘Having worked in food service, I will never eat food left out in the open.

“People are coughing and sputtering, rubbing their noses and running their fingers through their hair, wiping any rain or dust or dandruff off their clothes… that’s before they’ve even started sniffing through the food.”