Eating a gluten-free diet doesn’t automatically equate to a healthy diet. As big food companies eagerly jump on the profitable gluten-free bandwagon, the market will likely be saturated with junk food options, making it more difficult to choose a nutritious gluten-free diet.
Growing Market
The increasing demand for gluten-free foods provides large food companies with an irrefutable opportunity to make significant profits. They are scrambling to convert facilities to gluten-free production. With this transition, we are likely to see more choices of gluten-free junk food, which can contribute to an expanding waistline and negative health effects if they become a regular part of one’s diet.
Many consumers who seek gluten-free products are often after substitutes for items that contain gluten, like cakes, cookies, and bread. In their quest for gluten-free alternatives, they often turn to carb-laden, sugar-filled options that may not provide the necessary nutrients.
Big Companies Dominate
As large food manufacturers continue to dominate the gluten-free market, the public may be increasingly convinced that these products must be healthier just because they are gluten-free. However, no matter how it’s marketed, processed food is still processed food, and it doesn’t promote optimal health.
Gluten-free snack products have seen a major surge, with sales going from $225 million in 2009 to $388 million in 2011. According to bakeryandsnacks.com, the demand for gluten-free bread and snacks has also grown, from $46 million to $119 million, with no signs of the trend slowing down.
Numerous major food companies have recognized that roughly 30 million Americans have a sensitivity to gluten. On the one hand, the influx of gluten-free products can help educate more people about gluten-related health problems. On the other hand, these companies are capitalizing on promoting high-profit, gluten-free snack foods that often lack the necessary fiber and nutrients that people need.
Shoppers Seen as Fans, Not Health-Conscious
It’s interesting to consider how big corporations view their customers. Are consumers seen as health-oriented or simply slaves to their taste buds? For example, Frito-Lay, the snack food giant, refers to their consumers as “fans” of their products. The term “fan,” as most know, originates from the word fanatic.
To appeal to the gluten-free market segment, Frito-Lay has started creating gluten-free recipes using their products. However, a recipe for chocolate and potato chip cookies, which contains coffee, chocolate chips, potato chips, and guar gum, raises questions about the nutritional value of these innovative creations.
Marketing tactics employed by these companies can effectively push consumer choices towards colorful, eye-catching products that may provide instant gratification but can be harmful over the long term.
For example, in increasing sales of gluten-free pizza, marketing teams emphasized packaging that was “fun” while highlighting gluten-free as a positive selling point, stressing that it was a great experience. It’s important to remember that advertising often pushes the “fun” aspect of consumer goods, instead of health benefits.
As gluten-free becomes more mainstream, it’s vital to maintain a focus on health and nutrition, rather than simply selecting products based on their gluten-free label. The key is to be cautious and educated, knowing what potential pitfalls to avoid when purchasing gluten-free products, and not being swayed by clever marketing tactics.
