| type="text/javascript"> ch_client = "articlealley"; | | | | The market for GF foods and beverages in USA |
| ch_type = "mpu"; ch_width = 590; ch_height = | | | | in 2007 exceeded $700 million, and is forecast to |
| 250; ch_non_contextual = 4; ch_noborders = 1; | | | | be $1.7 billion in 2010. Ref2 |
| ch_vertical ="premium"; ch_sid = "590x250 Article | | | | ECONOMIC COSTS |
| Mixed Top"; ch_alternate_ad_url = " var | | | | Time is money and gluten free is more money, a |
| ch_queries = new Array( ); var | | | | simple fact. And while only a few studies have |
| ength)); if ( ch_selected < ch_queries.length ) { | | | | been made, they do give us a good indication of |
| ch_query = ch_queries[ch_selected]; } The two | | | | what being a celiac can cost you at the cash |
| things that a person suddenly diagnosed with | | | | register. |
| celiac disease will quickly learn are that gluten free | | | | Consider this study in June 2007 "using data from |
| foods can be hard to find, and they are | | | | the United States Department of Agriculture |
| expensive. Unfortunately if a celiac wants to get | | | | (USDA) about typical household food consumption, |
| well, they can't have any gluten in their diets, so | | | | researchers assembled "market baskets" of |
| they have to eat gluten free foods, regardless of | | | | regular and gluten-free foods. The availability and |
| expense. Because of the all pervasive nature of | | | | the difference in price between the 11 regular and |
| wheat and other gluten grains in so many | | | | gluten-free items in the market basket were |
| packaged foods, reading labels and trusting | | | | compared according the type of store and the |
| manufactures labels can also slow down the whole | | | | region in which the items were purchased. |
| shopping experience. | | | | Researchers surveyed local grocery stores, |
| Gluten Free MARKET GROWTH | | | | upscale grocery stores or regional chains, health |
| To give an indication of the size of the gluten free | | | | food stores, and 4 online sites. Regions of the |
| market, in 2004, Americans consumed 133 | | | | country were represented by New York City and |
| pounds of wheat per person. From July 2004 to | | | | Westchester County, Portland OR, Atlanta GA, |
| July 2005, consumers spent over $600 million on | | | | Rapid City SD, and Chicago IL. |
| gluten-free foods, an annual growth of 14.6%. | | | | |