Welsh Government tackles cost of gluten-free food

In a UK first the Welsh Government is to roll out a new scheme this autumn to help those with coeliac disease with the cost of gluten-free foods.

Welsh residents diagnosed with coeliac disease or gluten intolerances such as dermatitis herpetiformis will be eligible for a prepaid debit-style subsidy card to help towards the rising cost of specialist foods such as gluten-free pasta, bread and cereal.

The scheme — which is expected to be ‘cost neutral’ — aims to widen access to a choice of gluten-free products via supermarkets and online retailers, reducing reliance on pharmacy prescriptions, however those who receive gluten-free food on prescription will have the option of continuing with the existing system.

Each quarter money will be added to the cards, with the amount granted to each individual dependant on circumstance and review.

Jeremy Miles, Welsh cabinet secretary for health and social care, comments: “For people living with coeliac disease, following a strict gluten-free diet is not a lifestyle choice but a medical necessity. The scheme will contribute to reducing administrative burdens on GPs and pharmacies, while promoting a more effective use of NHS resources.”

The charity Coeliac UK has long been campaigning to policymakers and the food industry over the affordability and accessibility of gluten-free foods. In its 2024 report The Gluten Free Diet: What does it cost and why does it matter? it concluded that despite a downturn in overall food inflation, following a strictly gluten-free diet comes with ‘huge additional burden both in terms of cost and availability’.

Report findings:

• The cheapest gluten-free loaf is six times more expensive than a gluten-containing equivalent  

• A weekly gluten-free food shop can be as much as 35% more expensive 

• Seven in ten people find shopping gluten-free ‘adversely affects their quality of life’ 

• Because of the significant cost of gluten-free food, people with coeliac disease are opting to risk consuming gluten, despite the potent health implications; 4% of coeliac sufferers are actively eating gluten due to cost concerns and 27% are opting to eat products bearing ‘may contain’ statements for the same reason 

• Almost eight in ten people struggled to afford gluten-free products 

• Analysis of the average cost of gluten-free food compared to gluten-containing food (gram for gram) from March 2022 to March 2024 revealed that:  

  • Bread loaves are 4.5 times more expensive 

  • Plain flour is 2.0 times more expensive 

  • Bread rolls are 3.1 times more expensive 

  • Pasta is 2.0 times more expensive 

  • Crackers are 1.7 times more expensive 

  • Cereals are 2.1 times more expensive 

By Rosie Greenaway, editor