Over 300% growth for free-from food market

Dairy-, gluten- and wheat-free foods reap the rewards of Britain’s interest in health and well-beingLatest research from MINTEL sees the market for free-from foods such as gluten-, wheat- and dairy-free, growing by an impressive 329% since the start of the millennium alone. Increased public awareness of food allergies and intolerance as well as the rising fashionability of certain free-from diets have contributed to this unprecedented boom. Over the past five years the free-from market has experienced phenomenal growth, to reach some £90 million in 2005. ” With Britain’s insatiable appetite for new healthy diet plans, free-from diets are fast becoming a trendy lifestyle choice, irrespective of whether or not you actually suffer from an allergy or food intolerance. Today, celebrities including Carol Vorderman, Geri Halliwell and Victoria Beckham have been said to adopt regimes such as wheat-free and dairy-free diets. Although these celebrity followers may not buy free-from food ranges they will have undoubtedly raised the profile of a free-from approach to eating. So while it is possible to simply avoid certain food groups such bread, pasta or cows milk, others may prefer to buy the alternative free-from food ranges such as wheat-free pasta and bread or soya milk, ” comments Julie Sloan, Consumer Analyst.