Lantmännen Unibake backs ‘Fibre February’ in the UK and suggests Europe-wide action

If your fibre intake is on par with most Europeans’, you are probably not getting enough. Fibre is crucial in maintaining a healthy digestive system, but many individuals fall short of the recommended daily intake. 

The graph below compares the amount of fibre consumed versus the official recommendations for men and women in several European countries and the US. Even though the values are based on official recommendations in the Nordics, many other countries share the same values or values close to it. As illustrated, only a few countries meet the criteria for women (25 g/day), and none of the countries meet the criteria for men (35 g/day).

Figure: Amount of fibre consumed versus the official recommendations for men and women by country according to several national dietary intake surveys.

Growing consumer awareness
To raise awareness on fibre, UK Flour Millers has launched 'Fibre February' in the UK – an initiative encouraging consumers to increase their daily fibre intake for better long-term health. The campaign highlights the essential role of wholemeal flour and fibre-rich foods in supporting digestion, heart health, and overall wellbeing.

“Fibre February serves as a timely reminder of how small dietary changes—such as choosing wholemeal bread—can make a significant impact on overall health,” says Marika Lyly, Nutrition & Research Manager at Lantmännen Unibake

She points to recent research by Lantmännen Unibake across nine key European markets to gather consumer insights on Health & Nutrition topics. Data from the survey underscores growing consumer awareness of fibre's importance. In fact, almost half of consumers (47%) claim to always or often choose fibre-rich bread, while only 14% rarely or never make that choice. Additionally, 44% of respondents believe they consume more fibre than they did one to two years ago, with just 10% reporting a decrease. Bread is widely recognized as a key source of dietary fibre, with nearly half of the consumers identifying it as a primary contributor to their intake (48%).

More public/private cooperations

Marika Lyly’s colleague, Mikkel Andersen, who is Global Category Manager and Health & Nutrition lead at Lantmännen Unibake International, praises all initiatives that increase awareness of the health benefits of eating a fiber-rich diet, like ‘Fibre February' in the UK, and he welcomes similar future actions taken across European markets.

“Fibre February is a great example of how the public and private sectors can work together on matters of importance for society. On the one hand, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in the UK actively supports Fibre February by providing knowledge and information, and on the other hand, we, as food manufacturers, are hopefully inspiring consumers to discover all the benefits of fibre-rich and tasty alternatives to traditional foods. I hope we will see similar initiatives across Europe in the coming years,” he says.

Reasons to eath products with FIBRE

What are the primary reasons that you chose/eat products with lots of FIBRE?
(Multiple response)

Read more about the UK’s Fibre February initiative

• Article in the British Baker magazine
• Article in the Miller Magazine