The gluten-free food market - France (2025)

1.2 A fast-growing global market

The global market for gluten-free foods has grown significantly in recent years due to the increasing number of people suffering from gluten intolerance and celiac disease. Gluten-free diets are favored not only by those with specific dietary restrictions, but also by health-conscious individuals who perceive gluten-free products as healthier alternatives.

As a result, the size of the global gluten-free food market is set to grow at nearly *.**% between **** and ****, as shown in the graph below.

Gluten-free products market World, ****-****, billions of dollars Source: ****

Geographic zones

However, intolerance varies from region to region.

According to Ameli, in Europe, the United States, North Africa, the Middle East and India, celiac disease affects between *.*% and *% of the population. The frequency is probably underestimated, due to the existence of forms with few symptoms.

The disease is rare in Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. [***]

1.3 The French market

Next, let's take a look atthe national market for gluten-free sales.

We can see that the market is growing rapidly, with sales by value rising steadily, as shown in the graph below.

Growth in gluten-free sales France, ****, in Source: ****

So, despite a slight downturn in sales volume in ****, due in particular to inflation, the gluten-free market remains buoyant in value terms, and is set to achieve a growth rate of **% between **** and ****, according to LSA.

Growth and projected sales of gluten-free products in France France, ****-****, in Source: ****

2.1 Booming demand for gluten-free products

The number of consumers who have totally eradicated gluten from their eating habits would represent between * and *% of the total population, these consumers corresponding to two distinct groups.

People with celiac disease, who suffer from permanent intolerance; People allergic to wheat or gluten;

In addition, a significant number of people have declared or are declaring themselves to be sensitive to gluten: they account for over **% of people consuming gluten-freeproducts (***):

Ricochet consumers, i.e. those close to people with gluten intolerance or allergy, who are obliged to follow the gluten-free diet (***) Fad followers", i.e. consumers who are not forced to adopt gluten-free products.

The "fad followers" category is attracted by the conflation of gluten-free with healthy eating practices that exclude products rich in sugar, salt or preservatives. This conflation has been identified by industrial producers, who have launched gluten-free brands and references. Barilla, for example, has created a range of gluten-free pasta products, while Nestlé has introduced its "Harry's Si Bon!" brand of sandwich bread.

Reason for gluten-free food consumption France, ****, as % of total Source: ****

**% of gluten-free people stop eating gluten for health or family reasons. This belies the image of gluten-free as a fad, according to which a majority ...

2.2 Persona of a gluten-free consumer

Let's take a look at gluten-free consumers in France.

First of all, we can see that the majority of gluten-free consumers are women.

Gender breakdown of gluten-free consumers France, ****, in Source: ****

What's more, it's the youngest populations who are most inclined to consume gluten-free products, as shown in the graph below with this age curve.

Age distribution of gluten-free consumers France, ****, in Source: ****

What's more, the most affluent populations are the most likely to consume gluten-free products, probably due to their potentially higher prices and related consumption habits.

Social breakdown of gluten-free consumers France, ****, in Source: ****

Finally, we note that gluten-free products aremost often consumed in large cities, notably for reasons of accessibility.

Geographical distribution of gluten-free consumers France, ****, in Source: ****

2.3 Gluten-free consumption habits

let's take a look at the consumption habits of gluten-free consumers. Most consume these products not by choice, but because their disease prevents them from digesting gluten.

Breakdown of why do consumers eat gluten-free? France, ****, in Source: ****

So, we can see that not allglutens free eat gluten-free. Some have more or less restrictive diets.

Frequency of gluten-free consumption France, ****, in Source: ****

2.4 The diagnosis of celiac disease: a springboard for the gluten-free market

Celiac disease affects some ***,*** people in France, of whom only **-**% are currently diagnosed, according to the Association Française des Intolérants Au Gluten (***).

However, people on a gluten-free diet are still highly stigmatized by the general population.

It already takes a long time to make a diagnosis, as the following graph illustrates:

Number of years to diagnose gluten-related disorders France, ****, in % Source: ****

And when the diagnosis is made, many don 't dare say they suffer from the disease, for fear of social rejection.

French people who say whether or not they eat gluten-free France, ****, in Source: ****

this social rejection starts in early childhood, as the figures in the graph below show

Reasons why school is difficult for children who eat gluten-free France, ****, in Source: ****

In recent years, however, there has been a trend towards trying to democratize the practice and educate children from an early age about gluten-free eating and run diagnosis in particular.

3.1 Distribution channels and players

There are five main sales channels for gluten-free products:

Large and medium-sized retailers, such as Système U, Carrefour, Auchan, Leclerc and Intermarché, which distribute Brasserie Castelain's gluten-free beer[***]. they concentrate around **% of sales in this segment and have had increasing availability of gluten-free products on their shelves since ****, with these products previously mainly available in specialist stores. Organic stores such as La Vie Claire. ***% gluten-free shops, Bakeries offering products made with gluten-free flour, such as Chambelland Online stores, such as bienmanger.com, tout-sans-gluten.com or noglutenshop.com

However, there's still plenty of room to develop gluten-free in France. Indeed, many people with celiac disease find that there aren't enough gluten-free offerings, because there aren't enough distribution channels present.

Need for new gluten-free distribution channels France, ****, in Source: ****

The major gluten-free players

We can see that the gluten-free product offer is held by a handful of players who hold a large share of the French market. The major players are Barilla, private labels, Gerblé and Schar.

While these players are the leaders in the French market, they do not all have the same deployment strategy or positioning in terms of products sold. Barilla's gluten-free products are mainly pasta-based, while the other ...

3.2 Geographical distribution of regions most inclined to gluten-free products

Geographical breakdown of regions most inclined to gluten-free offerings [***]

We can, however, draw up a map of the geographical areas where the gluten-free offer is most present in France.

The top three regions in France for gluten-free :

Île-de-France Brittany Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur

In these regions, gluten-free products are readily available in supermarkets and organic stores; many restaurants offer a gluten-free menu; many foreign tourists visit these regions; and their regional specialties are naturally gluten-free.

The threemost complicated regions in France for gluten-free eaters:

Normandy Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Eastern France

It's hard to find gluten-free products in supermarkets or organic stores. What's more, there are too few restaurants with gluten-free offerings.

3.3 Competitors and derivatives

The French are increasingly attentive to the effects of their diet on their health, and specific nutritional needs are better recognized and taken into account. These offers include

- Slimming foods for people wishing to lose or control their weight safely (***)

Below is a breakdown of gluten-free products within the specialty foods category.

Breakdown of supermarket sales by value France, ****, in Source: ****

We can thus distinguish between differenttypes of product categories: those that are more or less familiar to the French.

Renomination of specific food categories France, ****, in Source: ****

Over the past ** months, **% of French people have consumed sports foods, **% slimming products, and **% gluten-free products.

4.1 Product types

While the family of gluten-free products covers a wide range of applications, from cosmetics to beer, foodstuffs remain the most important products in the gluten-free sector. Within the food sector, the most common products include the following categories:

Flour (***) Bread, pastries and cakes Dry pasta Pizza dough, puff pastry, shortcrust pastry Processed cereals Cookies Prepared dishes, frozen dishes Confectionery

Below, we show the top * gluten-free products most purchased by the French, by category.

Top * gluten-free products France, ****, % of total Source: ****

Focus on different product types

Three product categories stand out from the rest in terms of strong growth: Breakfast: as many of the products usually consumed by the French for breakfast contain gluten (***), this sub-market has strong development potential. Pasta: brands are finding ways to provide consumers with foods that are a priori "forbidden" because they contain gluten, to enable them to eat a "classic" diet. This segment is also particularly dynamic in Italy, where the pasta culture encourages consumers to eat pasta in "gluten-free" form. [***] Snacking and fast food: this segment brings together two fast-growing markets: snacking and gluten-free.

In addition,the proportion of organic products among health food sales will represent **% of sales volume by ****. [***]

Proportion of organic products ...

4.2 Pricing gluten-free products

Producing gluten-free foods requires the implementation of very strict safety specifications (***). All these measures to guarantee a suitable and safe product inevitably increase the cost. What's more, supermarket prices reflect a number of parameters: negotiations with retailers and a market with smaller volumes vs. other FMCG markets.

Prices for gluten-free products are generally higher than for "conventional" products. In fact, a basic basket of gluten-free products shows that prices per kilogram are up to * times higher for certain products, notably aperitif cookies, according to Nutex.

Dr Schär, the European leader in gluten-free products with a strong presence on the French market, justifies the high prices of gluten-free products by proportionately higher production costs. On the one hand, according to the manufacturer, current European regulations (***).on the other hand, according to critics of gluten-free products, these high prices also correspond to higher margins captured by manufacturers, who are thus responding to growing demand from "fashion followers".

Opinions on gluten-free food prices (***) France, ****, in Source: ****

This statistic represents the opinion of the French regarding the price of gluten-free food. According to a survey conducted by ProdegeMR, around **% of French people considered the price of gluten-free food to be too high.

So, below, ...

4.3 Supply trends

As a result of the inflationary context, an optimization of the gluten-free offer has been observed on the shelves, resulting in a reduction in the number of references and therefore choice for consumers, similar to that experienced by the organic sector. Yet the diversity and richness of the aisle are fundamental criteria in the choice of outlet by gluten-free consumers.

In fact, **% of French people believe that a more comprehensive, easy-to-find range would encourage them to visit the store that offers it more often. [***]

What's more, **% of gluten-free consumers say they don't have enough choice.

Do you feel that supermarkets offer enough gluten-free products? France, ****, in Source: ****

The importance of R&D in the gluten-free sector

The gluten-free product category is designed to meet the specific nutritional needs of people who wish to exclude gluten from their diet for medical and/or wellness reasons. Specialized companies are therefore particularly committed to meeting these expectations, which translates into constant investment in research and development. Their aim? To offer quality foods, despite the technological challenge of excluding gluten from products in which it plays an essential binding role. They focus in particular on the selection of quality ingredients (***) and ingredient lists tending towards ...

5.1 Gluten-free regulations

Existing regulations include European Commission Implementing Regulation (***) no. ***/**** of July **, **** on requirements for the provision of information to consumers on the absence or reduced presence of gluten in foodstuffs.

This regulation came into force on July **, ****, repealing the **** regulation.

To ensure that the signal sent to consumers is not blurred, these regulations set out the rules to be followed in order to display the various mentions on product packaging.

Gluten-free" claim

When the gluten content of the food sold to the final consumer is less than **mg/kg, it is possible to affix this label.

Very low gluten" label

Less restrictive than the previous one, this label may be affixed if the food sold to the end consumer (***) contains less than *** mg/kg.

Information for consumers with celiac intolerance or disease

Implementing regulation (***) n°***/**** specifies that the previously described mentions may be accompanied by the mentions:

"Suitable for people suffering from gluten intolerance" or "Suitable for people suffering from celiac disease".

If the product respects a maximum residual gluten content of ** mg/kg, the above sign can be affixed to the product.

5.2 The need for controls to guarantee product quality

The only way for celiac sufferers to preserve their health is to avoid gluten in their diet. Consequently, the truthfulness of the claims "gluten-free" or "very low gluten" is fundamental for this population. Gluten-free" products must contain a maximum of ** ppm gluten, while "very low gluten" products must contain a maximum of *** ppm (***).

The DGCCRF's investigation addressed both the absence of gluten in products and how this should be indicated, as well as a number of related issues (***) advertising the absence of gluten in all or part of their products, on Internet sales and at trade fairs.

**% of samples taken were non-compliant or required monitoring

During the course of the survey, *** visits were made to *** establishments. These gave rise to *** inspection actions and the analysis of *** samples in DGCCRF laboratories (***). In this context, and taking into account all the parameters inspected, ** establishments were ordered to comply, and ** were issued with a warning.

Operators of a certain size and/or specializing in the manufacture of gluten-free products seem to have mastered the regulations. The situation is more mixed in "organic" supermarkets (***) sometimes seem to offer a few gluten-free products in response to fashion or customer demand, without actually offering them. without ...

6.1 Major market players

• Nutrition & Santé Groupe
• ABCD Nutrition
• Dr Schär
• La Vie Claire
• Biscuiterie de Provence
• Ekibio (Groupe Lea Biodiversité)
• Bio c' Bon
• Allergoora
• Nature & Cie
• Barilla
• Aglina Paradeigma
• Soreda Diet - BioRévola
• Céliane
• Genius Gluten Free
• Jardin Bio (Léa Nature)
• Le Pain des Fleurs
• Ekibio - Ma Vie Sans Gluten
• Max de Génie
• No Gluten Pro - Allergonline
• Noglu
• Valpiform - Nutrition et Santé groupe
• Paradeigma