She Strengthens

The Hidden Cost of Gluten-Free Living

As someone who’s followed a strictly gluten-free diet for years, I’ve learned to navigate the challenges of avoiding gluten, lactose, onions, and soy. But one thing that still takes a toll on my wallet is the staggering cost of gluten-free foods.

A Growing Need for Gluten-Free Options

With gluten intolerance four times more common today than in the 1950s, and conditions like IBD and IBS often requiring a gluten-free diet, it’s no wonder that demand for gluten-free products has skyrocketed. However, this increased demand has led to a captive audience, with brands taking advantage of our need for gluten-free options.

The Price of Convenience

I compared prices of standard and gluten-free products at Sainsbury’s, a middle-ground supermarket in the UK. The results were striking:

| Product | Standard Price | Gluten-Free Price |
| — | — | — |
| Porridge Oats | £0.75 ($0.95) | £2.00 ($2.54) |
| Dried Penne Pasta | £0.55 ($0.70) | £1.25 ($1.59) |
| Loaf of white bread | £1.10 ($1.40) | £3.50 ($4.45) |
|… |… |… |

In every instance, the gluten-free option was more expensive, often double or more than double the price of the standard product.

The Weight of Gluten-Free

But that’s not all – gluten-free products often come in smaller sizes, sometimes half the size of their standard counterparts. This means we’re paying more for less:

| Product | Standard Product Weight | Gluten-Free Product Weight |
| — | — | — |
| Porridge Oats | 500g | 450g |
| Loaf of white bread | 800g | 400g |
|… |… |… |

For example, a gluten-free loaf of bread costs £3.50 for 400g, while the standard loaf costs £1.10 for 800g. This means the gluten-free option costs approximately 88p per 100g, compared to 14p per 100g for the standard loaf.

The Cost of Dietary Requirements

If I were to buy all these products in my weekly shop, being gluten intolerant would cost me an extra £8.90 ($11.32) a week. Over a year, this additional cost would come to £462.80 ($588.39). Is it fair for companies to profit so heavily from customers with dietary requirements?

A Call for Change

There are calls for legislation to restrict the price difference between standard and “free from” products. But I believe we also need to investigate the weight difference in these products. It’s time for brands to offer comparable products with comparable weights and fair prices, rather than inflating costs to take advantage of consumers who have no choice but to buy gluten-free.