Gluten-free bread prices near £4, shoppers say basics become luxury
The Story
Gluten-free versions of everyday staples such as bread and biscuits are becoming increasingly expensive, with a small branded loaf now costing nearly £4. Consumers who follow a gluten-free diet for medical reasons, particularly those with coeliac disease, report that these specialist foods are becoming a luxury rather than an essential medical necessity. A standard 800g loaf of white bread remains under £1, while a smaller 550g gluten-free equivalent averages about £1.90, and branded products are significantly higher. Alison Peters, who runs the website Coeliac Sanctuary, noted that Promise gluten-free bread costs £3.90 at Tesco and Sainsbury’s. The average price of a gluten-free loaf rose to £3.12 in May 2026, up 6% from a year earlier, according to the price comparison service Trolley.co.uk. Coeliac UK research found that a weekly gluten-free shop can cost up to 35% more than a standard shop, and eight in 10 people report struggling to afford gluten-free staples. Some shoppers have also faced reduced availability, such as the end of a year-long gluten-free trial at Aldi stores in Dudley, West Midlands.
Key Facts
- A 480g Promise gluten-free loaf costs £3.90 in Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
- Average gluten-free bread price: £3.12 in May 2026, up 17p (6%) from May 2025.
- Gluten-free flour average: £3.80, up more than 10% (36p) from a year earlier.
- A 300g pack of supermarket gluten-free cornflakes is about £1.80; regular versions cost half that for 500g.
- A pack of eight gluten-free custard cream biscuits costs £1.60, versus 65p for a regular pack of 30.
- Coeliac UK: weekly gluten-free food shop up to 35% more than standard shop.
- Eight in 10 people struggle to afford gluten-free staples; three in 10 knowingly consume foods labelled “may contain gluten” to save costs.
- Aldi’s gluten-free trial ran for a year in 300 stores and has ended.
- Gluten-free products made up 19% of new food launches in 2019, falling to 12% in 2025.
- Doves Farm Foods says its Freee gluten-free flour remains available at between £1.84 and £1.95 in most major supermarkets.
Conflicting Reports
No conflicting reports identified in the source article.
Still Unclear
The exact reason Aldi ended its gluten-free trial; whether the Iran war’s economic disruption will push gluten-free prices higher; and whether the withdrawal of adult prescriptions for gluten-free bread and flour in England will be reversed.
Misconceptions
No widespread misconceptions addressed in the source article.
Key Figures
- Alison Peters – runs the website Coeliac Sanctuary
- Nicole Marvin – Guardian Money reader from Dudley, West Midlands
- Nikki Williams – Guardian Money reader from rural Aberdeenshire
- Jason Bull – of Eurostar Commodities, West Yorkshire
- Kiti Soininen – head of UK food and drink research at Mintel
- Doves Farm Foods – spokesperson
Sources: The Guardian
