Gluten free market has no concept of the crisis thanks to the rapid spread of illnesses such as coeliac disease or food issues such as lactose intolerance. However, it is also a greater concern for their diet that means many shoppers pick products that are perceived as healthy. And in this category, the so-called free-from products enjoy ever increasing popularity, down to the increased rate of innovation on shelves as well. In the United Kingdom alone, turnover from these products was almost 400 million pounds and, according to recent estimates, it should cross the 500 million mark by 2016. This success is largely thanks to gluten-free produce, which alone represents 45% of the entire sector. Waitrose intends to invest heavily in this area, having seen a 30% increase in the sale of gluten-free flour in the last 12 months. A result that followed the boom in dairy-free products during last year’s festive period, with an overall exploit of 72% compared to the year before. The first move by the British retailer then, will be to increase the range for Easter, with special focus on free-from chocolate eggs. “We are witnessing constantly increasing demand, even from clients who do not suffer from allergies,” explained Chloe Graves, buying manager for Waitrose. “This dynamic is directly related to adopting a new lifestyle, also promoted by artists and film stars, which encourages people to seek alternatives to gluten, dairy and sugar in their everyday diet.” The producers, and Italian copackers especially, have been warned.
