Gluten-free versions of everyday staples such as bread and biscuits are becoming a luxury, with shoppers complaining that a \u201cdecent\u201d small loaf now costs nearly \u00a34.<\/p>\n
Consumers have always paid a premium for these specialist foods, making any price increases a source of concern, particularly for people who follow a gluten-free diet for medical reasons.<\/p>\n
While a standard 800g loaf of supermarket white bread can still be bought for less than \u00a31, a smaller (550g) gluten-free equivalent typically costs about \u00a31.90. Branded products are even pricier: a 480g Promise gluten-free loaf is now \u00a33.90 in many shops.<\/p>\n
\u201cA decent gluten-free loaf now regularly costs about \u00a34,\u201d says Alison Peters, who runs the website Coeliac Sanctuary<\/a>. \u201cPromise bread is now \u00a33.90 in Tesco and Sainsbury\u2019s. Even the supermarket own-brand [gluten-free bread] is often about \u00a32 a loaf.\u201d<\/p>\n Before the Iran war started, UK food price increases were slowing down after a jump following Russia\u2019s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The cost of food and drink rose at about 3% in the year to April, but the economic disruption from the war could see this figure reach almost 10% by the end of the year.<\/p>\n Peters, who has coeliac disease herself and whose website offers advice and resources for sufferers, fears that gluten-free food is \u201cbecoming a luxury rather than an essential medical diet for managing a lifelong autoimmune disease\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you have children with coeliac disease or multiple coeliacs within one household, which is common due to genetics, the costs add up incredibly quickly,\u201d she says. \u201cA family could easily go through several loaves of bread a week alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Peters has noticed brands such as Promise and Doves Farm becoming costlier.<\/p>\n Today a loaf of gluten-free bread typically costs \u00a33.12, which is 17p \u2013 or nearly 6% \u2013 more than in May 2025 (based on a basket of 40 products), according to Trolley.co.uk<\/a>, a UK grocery price comparison service.<\/p>\n For gluten-free flour (based on 17 products) the increase is more than 10%, or 36p, to \u00a33.80. However, for some individual brands the increases are a lot bigger.<\/p>\n \u201cGluten-free products are frequently smaller as well as more expensive,\u201d Peters says. \u201cA gluten-free loaf is considerably smaller, while cereal boxes contain less product, meaning people are paying significantly more for less food.\u201d<\/p>\n While a 300g pack of supermarket brand gluten-free cornflakes is about \u00a31.80, regular versions can cost half that for 500g. Even a pack of custard cream biscuits to go with a brew can be out of reach, says Peters. \u201cIt\u2019s \u00a31.60 for a pack of eight, powdery, \u2018free-from\u2019 ones versus 65p for a regular pack of 30.\u201d<\/p>\n Tesco says it has maintained the same number of products in recent years and continues to add new ones, such as ready meals and meal kits. Photograph: AJD \/Alamy<\/p>\n She adds: \u201cWhile there are understandably additional costs involved in gluten-free production, such as specialist facilities, these are prices many coeliacs simply cannot afford.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole Marvin contacted Guardian Money in despair after the free-from section vanished from her local Aldi in Dudley in the West Midlands. \u201cI had access to gluten-free bread, pasta, biscuits and snacks \u2013 all the basics.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve noticed a significant increase in the price of gluten-free food,\u201d she says. \u201cBread is about \u00a33.50 for small slices and the size of a half loaf. Biscuits, too. An eight-pack of shortbread is \u00a33.45.\u201d<\/p>\n Marvin\u2019s store was part of a trial in 300 stores that ran for a year.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m finding it difficult because I can no longer buy gluten-free flour from Aldi to make my own bread, which saved me money. It\u2019s frustrating that people like me are being restricted in where we can get food. I am feeling disheartened because supermarkets like Aldi are accessible and now that option is gone.\u201d<\/p>\n While the end of a trial is not usually newsworthy, many had welcomed the push by the low-cost supermarket. A weekly gluten-free food shop can cost up to 35% more than a standard shop, according to research by the charity Coeliac UK.<\/p>\n The same research found that eight in 10 people report struggling to afford gluten-free staples, while three in 10 knowingly consume foods labelled \u201cmay contain gluten\u201d to save on costs.<\/p>\n The charity is worried that the decision to withdraw adult prescriptions for gluten-free bread and flour in England, in an effort to save money, is putting additional strain on household budgets.<\/p>\n Nikki Williams, another Money reader, has noticed \u201csweeping price rises\u201d, adding: \u201cThere is very little choice in the free-from sections. We live in rural Aberdeenshire and our heating oil bill has doubled since the Iran war started. I\u2019m worried that when these higher energy costs are passed on<\/a> to the food industry, supermarkets may cut back and increase prices even further.\u201d<\/p>\n She adds: \u201cIt is scary times for people that have no choice but to eat gluten-free, especially when it is both of your children.\u201d<\/p>\n