Gluten-free food are much more expensive, forcing some with coeliac disease to go without
While the rising cost of living is being felt by people across the country, there is a certain cohort who are being hit harder than most. Those diagnosed with Coeliac disease and gluten allergies are struggling as the cost of gluten-free products continues to rise.
Category
đŸ“º
TVTranscript
00:00For most people, making toasties is a simple process, but at this home it involves different
00:12boards, different breads and even different toasters.
00:17Rebecca has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that's triggered by eating gluten.
00:22Her 11-year-old son Alex hasn't been officially diagnosed, but he also gets debilitating symptoms.
00:28It means they both have to follow a strict gluten-free diet.
00:31It's really frustrating because it's not my fault.
00:33If I chose, it would be different if it was just a lifestyle choice, but this is for my
00:38health and if I don't eat gluten-free, I can get really, really sick.
00:43But it's become a treatment the family is struggling to afford.
00:47Interest rates are going up, everything's getting more expensive, the price of food
00:51has gone up as well, petrol's gone up, wages haven't gone up, so that's a bit harder.
00:58Let's make a snack, hey?
01:01It's a similar story for Karen, who often has to work seven days a week to afford gluten-free
01:05food for her and her six-year-old daughter.
01:08I could easily get away with $150, $200 for a food shop for a week, now it would be easily
01:15up to the $400.
01:16And given they have no other choice, she doesn't think it's fair.
01:20It's actually depressing going to the shops and seeing the price difference in things
01:25and the quantity though, so things that are gluten will be in a large quantity for cheaper
01:31and things that are gluten-free will be more expensive and in a smaller quantity.
01:35In 2016, an Australian FIRST study revealed a basket of gluten-free staple foods cost
01:40up to 17% more than the equivalent gluten-containing foods.
01:44A recent comparison of the same products found that while some have become cheaper, most
01:49items are still up to 500% more expensive.
01:52So that's going to hit the hip pocket of every person, regardless of their income level.
01:56There really does need to be consideration of subsidies for this group of people because
02:00they have no alternative as a treatment for their condition.
02:03They have to follow a gluten-free diet.
02:05With one in 70 Australians being diagnosed with celiac disease, health experts are suggesting
02:10a national program to subsidise the cost of gluten-free foods.
02:14And that's a really good start because then what that means is people can still continue
02:18to have their staple foods, not miss out on micronutrients and fibre, and continue
02:22to remain healthy.
02:24The government hasn't said whether it would consider subsidies, but these families remain
02:28hopeful that help will come.