The phenomenon of the ‘free from’ statement on foodstuffs has become a powerful symbol of the way in which people perceive food. I’ve not yet thrown away all my sausages or sent my beer down the plug hole and buying no more, but some of us feel we now have to. ‘Free from’ is a marketing strap line that appeals to all those who have or believe they have some type of intolerance or allergy and want cleaner food. ‘Free from’ also appeals to those of us simply as a life style choice or to those who want to reduce the potential for adulteration. Implicit in the latter term is a greater purity in the food being eaten. What might seem bizarre is why the notion of ‘free from’ holds so much power over the food buying population.
Research surrounding the population that identifies most with an absence of certain ingredients from their food has a fascination for those of us in product development. We are trying to glean from the market research who they are and what they are truly seeking in their diet. Indeed, is it fad, a mistaken acceptance of illness ? This is a dynamic market for food developers and not wishing to jump on the band wagon for its own sake, a lucrative one too.
To begin with, many of us have reduce our intakes of salt, fat and sugar and there is plenty of nutritional evidence to recommend doing so. The evidence for removing or reducing gluten and diary intake is less compelling.
A look firstly at the YouGov survey which was commissioned for the FDIN (Food & drink Innovation Network) in the United Kingdom provides us with our first thoughts on the subject. YouGov, incidentally, is an international internet-based market research firm based in the UK. Consider those of us who think we have a food allergy or intolerance rather than actually know it. About three per cent of the UK population have been medically or clinically diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance which should come as no surprise. Two per cent have a food allergy and one per cent have the condition of coeliac disease which is an adverse reaction to gluten. Then we have seventeen per cent who self-diagnosed themselves over the same issues. About five per cent believe they have gluten or wheat intolerance. six per cent have a dairy or lactose intolerance and another six per cent with an allergy or intolerance to other food stuffs. Clearly, nearly one fifth of the UK population believes they have a problem with certain ingredients and types of food. In the USA, twenty-nine per cent of adult citizens, around 70 million, have cut back on gluten in their diet and are probably doing more besides. Those sorts of figures impact food choice and how the manufacturer and retailer should present their product.
As well as the YouGov survey, a number of other surveys from Mintel and the NHS estimate between 25% and 45% are choosing to eat ‘free from’. On top of this, the sector is expanding growth at some where between 10 and 15% year on year and will soon reach a half-billion sterling in 2017. This reinforces the notion that there is a significant overlapping of beliefs. A number of us are eating ‘free from’ because of a suspicion we might be intolerant to a host of allergens. There are a number of us who also believe that we feel ‘better’ when we avoid or at least cut out diary and gluten. In some cases, both notions are accepted by consumers. These are now part of the population who engage with voluntary restriction in their diet and known colloquially as ‘lifestylers’.
Cutting Out…..
(1) Gluten
The first major allergen to be significant in recent years has been gluten. This protein is found in wheat and thus in bread, beer, sausages and so on. The trends show slight increases in cutting out gluten. About ten per cent of the population did this in 2015 which rose to thirteen per cent in 2016. Parents also began to actively reduce gluten in their children’s diets with about sixteen per cent doing so in 2016, up from fourteen per cent the year before.
There is a term for those who follow the gluten-free diet but have tested negative for coeliac disease. These are the ‘PWAGs’ which is medical jargon for ‘people without coeliac disease’. They are being stigmatised as food faddies or just hypochondriacs with little understanding of the science behind serious health issues. We know besides coeliac disease of a number of other conditions where severe or even mild gluten sensitivity is evident. Some of us don’t even know we have it until diagnosed much later in life because of recurring health issues.
(2) Dairy
Dairy or generally an intolerance of lactose also saw a rise in those removing it from our diet. In 2016, fourteen per cent said no to dairy products which rose from thirteen per cent. Similarly, fifthteen per cent of parents stopped letting their kids have dairy.
One aspect is that a number of us have cut out both gluten and dairy. Medically, around fifty per cent show sensitivity to both and in so doing, a similar number have opted to cut both out.
In conclusion, a significant and well educated section of the population is now cutting out or significantly reducing both gluten and dairy products. This comes on top of those ingredients such as sugar, fat and salt. It is evident that reductions in those latter three ingredient groups have made people not only feel better in themselves but are also healthier for it. Cutting out gluten and dairy may appeal to many but there is still hard evidence needed as to whether they really are better for it.
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