Hard to Reach, Easy to Lose
Gluten-free products are no longer a niche market. Figures from Innova Market Insights reveal that, in the US, the percentage of tracked products that claim to be gluten-free reached 19.7 per cent in 2014, while the global average is 9.4 per cent.
A large number of people buy and consume gluten-free products. However, less than a fifth of these people actually need to do this. This is not just my opinion, as figures reveal the same thing. According to Mintel data, some 82 per cent of the consumers who eat or used to eat gluten-free products have not been diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. They eat these products for health or weight reasons, which are not related to celiac disorder.
However, this is not an excuse for the producers who were involved in the UK scandal. In June, a range of products that claimed to be gluten-free was recalled. It was revealed that the products were not actually gluten-free. The stores, which included Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose, had to put up notices in their shops to warn customers. The products that were recalled also included ranges that were sold under the name of the Edinburgh-based gluten-free food specialist, Genius.
We all know that celiac disease might have severe forms and gluten-free products can prevent sufferers from ending up in hospital. However, I think it is more than that – it is a problem with the ethics of food producing. I have yet to find someone who is allergic to steak but I know a lot a vegetarians and vegans who would not be happy to eat meat without knowing it. A person who is on a diet that is related to religion, such as those who fast, or those who follow a kosher or halal diet, would feel cheated if they found out that they had eaten something that was not allowed as part of that diet. Why would it not be the same for someone who does not suffer from celiac disease but has a gluten-free diet?
Many people who keep strict diets prefer to prepare their meals at home, rather than to buy the products from stores or restaurants. Here, I have to admit that I do not have the figures (yet) to support this statement (this might be a future feature in our magazines or website) but I see people preparing diet foods everywhere. The popularity of cooking websites, blogs and culinary shows highlight the same thing.
I only want to highlight that, if producers work on improving the perception of consumers regarding dietary products, there is a good chance that the market will continue to grow. Scandals like the one in the UK do not help this at all – consumer confidence is hard to reach but easy to lose!
Lastly, I would like to invite you to read our print magazines, European Baker (Issue 3, 2015 – available since June), Biscuit World (Issue 2, 2015 – available since July 28) and Asia Pacific Baker (Issue 2, 2015 – available since August 22), which include a free-from supplement!