As National Pizza Days kicks off across the pond in the United States today (Tuesday February 9th), it seems that around the world consumers may be looking to treat themselves to a less conventional slice of the American favourite. Indeed, new research from Mintel finds that following consumer demand, the number of pizzas launched globally with a gluten-free claim soared 58% between 2012 and 2015. What’s more, the number of pizza launches containing rice flour as an alternative ingredient to wheat increased from 78% to 90% between 2014 and 2015.
The rise in gluten-free pizza launches comes as a result of the growing demand for wheat alternatives, as one third (32%) of French, 28% of Polish and 22% of German consumers say they would like to see a wider variety of gluten-free pizza. In Italy this number increases to a staggering 44%, while over half (51%) of Spanish consumers say they want more gluten-free pizza options.
Yet while interest in gluten-free pizza varieties appears to have increased, just 2% of French, 3% of German, 3% of Polish, 5% of Spanish and 8% of Italian consumers actually bought gluten-free pizza in 2015.
Alex Beckett, Global Food and Drink Analyst at Mintel, says:“With gluten-free having become something of a lifestyle choice in Western countries, especially among younger generations, it is no surprise that a growing base of consumers are buying into gluten-free pizza. However, as pizza is an inherently indulgent food, manufacturers need to magnify the quality appeal of their wheat-free pizzas and convince consumers that the taste and texture of wheat-free alternatives is akin to regular pizza.”
Mintel research indicates that innovation in lactose-free claims could be the next step for pizza launches. Almost half (47%) of consumers in Spain say they’d like to see a wider variety of dairy-free pizzas, followed by 39% of consumers in Italy, 31% in Poland, 30% in France and 20% in Germany.