London's New French Bakery Faces Backlash Over £29 Gluten-Free Bread
A new French bakery that opened in London's Covent Garden three months ago has been heavily criticised for selling gluten-free bread priced at £29 per loaf and pastries costing £11 each. Copains, which translates to 'friends' in French, promised customers they would soon see concrete improvements following a deluge of complaints about the disappointing quality of its eyewateringly expensive selection.
Exorbitant Prices for Speciality Bread
The upper-crust Parisian eatery was heralded when it finally brought its signature gluten-free bakes to London streets. However, even the most loyal fans of Copains may raise their eyebrows at the price of some of the chain's goods. One of its most popular offerings is the Clement, a vegan and gluten-free bread made with semi-wholemeal rice flour, chestnut flour, potato starch, baker's yeast, guar gum, salt, psyllium and a smattering of cranberries and hazelnuts.
A 500g loaf costs an astonishing £16, which rises to £29 if customers opt for the large 900g version. This makes it one of the most expensive loaves available in Britain. Previously, the priciest bread in Britain was thought to be French bakery Poilane's £24.40 decorated loaf, garnished with entirely hand-made dough decorations and baked in a wood-fired stone oven.
Meanwhile, Harrods' signature sourdough costs £10 for 2kg, and thrifty grocery shoppers can get an 800g loaf of Asda's Just Essentials white bread for just 55p, or 2.7p per slice. The dramatic price difference has left many consumers questioning the value proposition.
Customer Complaints Flood Social Media
Recently on Instagram, one foodie reacted badly when he was charged more than £22 for two pastries at Copains. After trying a vanilla doughnut, BiteTwiceFoodReviews declared it remarkably disappointing, calling it the most disappointing pastry he had experienced all year. His fellow diner added that it was like eating packing foam that comes with an Amazon parcel, questioning whether they were being too mean before concluding the pastry was really not very nice.
Another reviewer, EndlessDistances, noted that Copains could do better after visiting the Covent Garden outlet. While she acknowledged the cafe was aesthetically pleasing, she rated the flavour and texture a mere three out of ten, describing the food as gummy, dry and subpar. She paid £11.90 for a ham sandwich but was disappointed by the quality of the bread, noting it was dry, flavourless, and basically just a receptacle for the fillings.
Her review concluded by suggesting the quality needed to improve or their prices needed to be lowered for the bakery to survive in London's competitive food scene.
Bakery's Response and Future Plans
The bakery responded to the criticism in a lengthy statement, acknowledging they had taken note of complaints regarding both price and quality. The team behind Copains revealed that supplier issues, including price negotiations, were responsible for any differences in quality between their Paris and London operations.
The statement explained that in-depth quality tests are currently underway to align London supplies as much as possible with those of Paris, and when possible, to work with the same suppliers. While satisfied with many products offered in London, they acknowledged there is still room for improvement to reach perfectly homogeneous standards between the two cities.
Regarding prices, the bakery confirmed they are in the middle of supplier renegotiation. They work exclusively with quality raw materials that are non-industrial and non-standardised, whose costs are particularly high in the United Kingdom. With only two points of sale in London, their purchase volumes remain limited, contributing to higher prices.
The brand emphasised they are aware that price must align with the overall experience and are actively working on adjustments. They also revealed that coffee prices are being completely reworked alongside in-depth barista training to raise execution standards. Their quality manager is currently on site in London to rework certain recipes and harmonise standards, promising customers will soon see concrete improvements.
Background and Expansion
Copains was launched in Paris during Covid-19 by two former employees of French luxury giant LVMH, Giovanni Amico and Baptiste Borne. The trendy cafe became known for its coeliac-friendly creations and sustainable practices, attracting both tourists and locals. In addition to its range of breads, the naturally gluten-free bakery is famous for its chocolate madeleines, matcha cookies, vegan pistachio croissants and cinnamon rolls.
The shop also stocks Veronique, a vegan activated charcoal bread priced at £10.90, and Keryan, a cocoa-infused vegan loaf for £9.90, alongside other speciality items. After opening their first London store at the end of 2025, a sister shop in Islington followed last month.
The founders stated they want customers to enjoy a complete culinary experience without ever feeling they are compromising because of dietary restrictions, emphasising what they believe has been missing in gluten-free offerings: pleasure, generosity, aesthetics, and the desire to treat oneself without compromise.
Despite these ambitions, many have found the bakery's prices difficult to digest. The bakery concluded their response by stating they are building their London presence with demand, humility and commitment, thanking those who trust them and welcoming even critical feedback that allows them to move forward.
