Gluten-free foods are much more expensive, forcing some with coeliac disease to go without
While the rising cost of living is being felt by Australians across the country, there's a certain cohort of people who are being hit harder than most at the checkout. Those diagnosed with coeliac disease and gluten allergies are particularly feeling the pinch as the cost of gluten-free products continues to increase leaving many families struggling.
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00:00For most people, making toasties is a simple process.
00:09But at this home, it involves different boards, different breads and even different toasters.
00:16Rebecca and her 11-year-old son Alex have to follow a strict gluten-free diet for medical
00:20reasons.
00:27But it's become a treatment the family is struggling to afford.
00:30Everything's getting more expensive, the price of food has gone up, wages haven't gone up,
00:35so that's a bit harder.
00:37Let's make a snack.
00:39It's a similar story for Karen, who often has to work seven days a week to afford gluten-free
00:43food for her and her six-year-old daughter.
00:46I could easily get away with $150, $200 for a food shop for a week.
00:52Now it would be easily up to the $400.
00:54And given they have no other choice, she doesn't think it's fair.
00:58It's actually depressing going to the shops.
01:01Things that are gluten will be in a large quantity for cheaper and things that are gluten-free
01:06will be more expensive and in a smaller quantity.
01:09In 2016, an Australian study revealed a basket of gluten-free staple foods cost up to 17
01:14per cent more than the regular versions.
01:17A recent comparison of the same foods found that while some have become cheaper, most
01:21items are still up to 500 per cent more expensive.
01:25So that's going to hit the hip pocket of every person, regardless of their income level.
01:29With one in 70 Australians being diagnosed with celiac disease, health experts are suggesting
01:34a national program to subsidise the cost of gluten-free foods.
01:38People can still continue to have their staple foods, not miss out on micronutrients and
01:42fibre and continue to remain healthy.
01:45The government hasn't said whether it would consider subsidies, but these families remain
01:49hopeful that help will come.