[GiorgioG]

> shelf-stable bread is a lot less of a thing in Europe, likely because of a longer tradition of bakers.

I don’t think tradition of bakers has anything to do with it. In France going to buy a baguette every couple of days is the norm (or was when I lived there as a kid). In the US, we generally do one weekly grocery shopping trip, so shelf-stable bread becomes the convenient default.

[herbst]

But that's why bakers were relevant. When I was young there was bakery reachable by foot near anyone's home. Kids would get fresh bread on Sunday, the bakery was a place where you met people.

That changed. They all closed. But as you said people still consume their bread fresh here in central Europe.