Gluten-free food availability: Germany vs. UK
Thanks to @MissGlutenfrei for submitting an interesting question on differences in consumer choice, followed by the answers I got:
@ernsteZoeli 1. Warum geht der Vertrieb in D so schleppend voran? Schaut man nach GB gibt es viel mehr und bessere gf Produkte
— MissGlutenfrei (@MissGlutenfrei) May 28, 2013
English translation: @ernsteZoeli 1. Why is the distribution in D improving so slowly? If you look at the UK there are many more and better gf products
Mintel view on small DE #glutenfree market compared to UK: Private labels (supermarket brands) started earlier in UK. #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 4, 2013
German #Coeliac Society DZG #glutenfree market in DE vs. UK:Less products in supermarkets,maybe due to 5 big online sellers? No clear reason
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
Personally, I think supply is also influenced by reimbursement of gluten-free foods by the health insurance. Reimbursement lowers the expense for celiac consumers, which will increase their demand for gluten-free foods. Supply will follow demand. In the UK, celiac patients can get basic gluten-free foods on prescription, at the expense of their National Health Service (NHS). Similarly, Italy is also said to have a wide range of gluten-free foods widely available and also happens to have a prescription-based reimbursement system.
Ms. Ute Hamacher-Reichenberger of the German Celiac Society DZG (Deutsche Zöliakie Gesellschaft) told me that Germany does not have a prescription-based gluten-free food reimbursement scheme. There is a general disability compensation scheme, but this is only used by a small subset of German celiacs. She could however not confirm this as a possible of cause of the lower availability of gluten-free foods in Germany.
Industry involvement in creating awareness: Lactose-free vs. gluten-free
The second question from @MissGlutenfrei was why the gluten-free food manufacturers are not doing as much as the lactose-free manufacturer MinusL in creating awareness of ‘their’ food intolerance in the general population:
@ernsteZoeli 2.Warum beteiligen sich die Herst. nicht an der Aufklärung von Zöliakie? Durch MinusL und Co wurden auch mehr laktoseintolerant
— MissGlutenfrei (@MissGlutenfrei) May 28, 2013
@ernsteZoeli Die Aufklärung sollte v.a. in Richtung "Augen öffnen" gehen. Lt. Statistik ist 1/200 betroffen (also nicht wenige)
— MissGlutenfrei (@MissGlutenfrei) June 3, 2013
@ernsteZoeli 1/2 Durch die zahlreichen Werbekampagnen v. MinusL gehen viele auf Nr. sicher, kaufen lf Produkte, obwohl sie Laktose vertragen
— MissGlutenfrei (@MissGlutenfrei) June 3, 2013
@ernsteZoeli 2/2 Das Resultat: MinusL macht satte Gewinne und kann darum das Sortiment ausweiten und Produkte verbessern.
— MissGlutenfrei (@MissGlutenfrei) June 3, 2013
English translation: @ernsteZoeli 2.Why do the manufacturers not participate in the explanation of celiac disease? Due to MinusL and Co also have more lactose intolerant. Explanation, as in “opening eyes”. Lactose statistic is 1/200 affected (not few). Due to the numerous advertising campaigns by MinusL many play it safe, buy lactose-free products, although they tolerate lactose. The result: MinusL makes big profits and can therefore expand product range and improve products.

Lesson for #glutenfree brands: German Omira gave away samples of MinusL in supermarkets to increase lactose intolerance awareness. #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
I talked about this idea with Steve Wood, Commercial Manager at Dove Farm Foods. They had not tried sampling their products in normal supermarkets. To help raise awareness of gluten intolerance, Dove supports Coeliac UK:
Reply of Dove Farm Foods to MinusL success in sampling in supermarkets: We work together with #coeliac UK to help raise awareness #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
I also talked about this with Erik van Luyn, Sales & Marketing Europe at Roma Food Products (Orgran, BuonTempo):
Reply of Orgran #glutenfree to MinusL success with sampling in supermarkets: Quite costly, hard to see immediate benefits #coeliac #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
Personally, I see two possible explanations. First, the number of manufacturers in the respective markets. It seems to me that there are many more gluten-free food producers than there are lactose-free food producers. If a gluten-free food producer were to invest in raising gluten intolerance awareness, he would have to share the profits from that investment with many more competitors. Second, it seems to me that lactose intolerant people are not as well-organized as the celiac community. This might have to do with celiac disease being considered more of a “disease” than lactose intolerance. As the statement by Dove Farm Foods shows, gluten-free food producers can simply support national celiac societies to help raise awareness, whereas lactose-free food producers seem not have this possibility and have to raise awareness themselves.
Remarks by AOECS board members on transfer of EU gluten-free rules
And of course I chatted with a few people about EU gluten-free legislation, that will move from the PARNUTS* framework for special foods to the general food law (other articles on this subject).
German #Coeliac Society DZG:EU #glutenfree labeling rules should remain exactly same as now, no extra requirements on top of 20ppm. #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
Sleet,AOECS: Current EU #glutenfree rules already require replacement foods to have comparable nutritional value as originals…(1/3) #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
AOECS:.. Now no problem for #coeliac choice, so requiring same for Italian-wished category of "#glutenfree rendered foods"… (2/3) #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
AOECS:..in FIC should have no negative effect on #coeliac choice. Legal wording of requirement to be carefully chosen. (3/3) #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
I got the impression that Sarah Sleet prefers to choose the legal wording of the requirement regarding nutritional value in such a way that it allows room for everyone to interpret it in their own way, allowing the differences existing in current practice to persist.
I told Sarah Sleet that I think this is risky, as the goal of the European legislators seems to be to do away with differences in member state interpretations of European food law. Writing provisions on gluten-free that could be subject to multiple interpretations might satisfy all parties now, but could lead to an unexpected interpretation at the European level in the future.
Finally, I had a talk with Tunde Koltai of the Hungarian Celiac Society, who is also (I was not aware at the time of our talk) chair of the AOECS:
Hungarian #Coeliac Society: EU labeling distinction between naturally #glutenfree and GF-rendered foods was made only for Italy. (1/2)
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
Hungarian #Coeliac Society: Hungary seeks no additional requirements for either category. 20ppm is only requirement necessary. (2/2) #fff13
— The Serious Celiac (@SeriousCeliac) June 5, 2013
Thinking back, I do not remember if we were talking about the position of Hungary specifically. Knowing now that she is also chair of the AOECS, makes her comments all the more interesting.
AOECS will be in Brussels soon to discuss this matter with Basil Mathioudakis, Head of Unit, Nutrition, food composition and information, DG SANCO*, European Commission. Within the AOECS, the issue will be further discussed during the General Assembly held 5-8 September 2013 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
I am German and live in the UK. Awareness in the UK is higher and German doctors (even though healthcare in Germany as a whole is much better than in the UK) just don’t really get it as regards to glutenfree, ie. also for non-celiacs. Germans don’t like spending money on food anyway, so lots of reasons.
My life as regards to food is so much better since I have moved to the UK. 🙂