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Demand For Gluten-Free Bakery Products On the Rise in International Markets
Consumers of gluten-free foods can be categorised as:
- Those with celiac disease.
- Those who consider gluten as a source of dietary sensitivity.
- Those who have adopted gluten-free as a weight-loss strategy.
For consumers suffering from celiac disease, accurate gluten-free labelling is vital. However, around 80 percent of consumers who eat gluten-free foods have not been diagnosed with celiac disease, and around 40 percent eat gluten-free for reasons other than intolerance or sensitivity to gluten.
This shows that the demand for gluten-free foods will remain healthy in the near future. The willingness to pay a premium for foods labelled gluten-free, regardless of whether or not gluten could possibly be present in the first place, is driving many food producers to capitalize on this lucrative market opportunity.
Having historically only been found on the shelves of specialty stores, gluten-free products can now be found in nearly every mainstream grocery store.
Food manufacturers, are releasing a slew of gluten-free products in order to cash in on this expanding market. However, as the gluten-free demand has expanded, so too has the liberty of gluten-free labeling.
The demand for gluten-free labelling is encouraging food producers to broaden their gluten-free portfolio.
In many stores, it is not uncommon to see products that have never had any gluten content like eggs, poultry, meat, vegetables, etc., being labeled as gluten-free in order to gain consumer interest. Although it may seem unnecessary to label such products as being free from gluten, this sort of “free from” labeling appeals with many consumers. Accordingly, many food producers are jumping at the chance to add gluten-free labels to any product that is eligible under current labeling regulations.
Over the years, sales of gluten-free products grew 30 percent annually. Although growth is expected to slow slightly in the ensuing years, the annual rate of growth is still estimated to be a respectable 19.0 percent with total sales predicted to reach $2.50 billion. Not only is the market expected to continue to expand, consumers are also willing to pay a higher price for gluten-free items, giving manufacturers further incentive to jump aboard the gluten-free bandwagon.
