> I mean, the obvious way to make the bread last longer would be to pump it full of preservatives You can use sourdough, which is also "pumping it full of pres

> I mean, the obvious way to make the bread last longer would be to pump it full of preservatives You can use sourdough, which is also "pumping it full of preservatives", just ones that are produced naturally right in the dough while it ferments. Sourdough bread takes more time, so it would make sense for it to be more expensive. So it makes sense for cheaper bread to go stale faster. AFAIR if you go into a French bakery and order a "tradition" instead of a "baguette" you get a baguette made with sourdough.