Gluten-free sales can be boosted by ‘worried-well’

Food manufacturers can boost their gluten-free sales by capitalising on the “worried well” – healthy people who make self-diagnoses – a report has found.

The rise of the worried-well, in addition to increasing numbers of coeliac sufferers, were making gluten-free products attractive to a wider range of people than ever before, according to the report from market research company Technavio.

It reinforced previous research that gluten-free consumers wanted clear health benefits, but no compromise in product choice or quality, inulin provider Sensus claimed.

A soluble dietary fibre from the chicory root, inulin can provide a high-quality solution that sets gluten-free products apart on retailers’ shelves, the Dutch company added.