Table of Contents
Executive Summary
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- The market
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- Figure 1: Estimated market value of free-from foods, NI and RoI, 2012-21
- Forecast
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- Figure 2: Indexed value of free-from food, NI and RoI 2012-21
- Market factors
- ‘Lifestylers’ drive free-from growth
- Wider availability boosts free-from sales
- Dairy-free takes over gluten
- Companies, brands and innovations
- The consumer
- Gluten is most avoided food/ingredient in IoI
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- Figure 3: Types of food/ingredients avoided because they/a member of household has a confirmed or suspected allergy/intolerance, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Dairy-substitutes gain traction
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- Figure 4: Types of free-from food and drink consumers have bought in the last six months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Sugar – A barrier to free-from purchasing
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- Figure 5: Qualities Irish consumers would be interested in seeing in new free-from food, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Peers influence purchasing of free-from food
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- Figure 6: Agreement with statements relating to free-from food, NI and RoI, April 2017
- What we think
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Growth of free-from market continues
- Availability and innovation driving free-from growth
- Rise in intolerance/allergies has increased demand for free-from
Market Size and Forecast
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- Irish free-from food market rises by 7.8%
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- Figure 7: Estimated market value of free-from foods, NI and RoI, 2012-21
- Upward and onwards for free-from food
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- Figure 8: Indexed value of free-from food, NI and RoI 2012-21
- Free-from food accounts for around 0.4% of grocery sales
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- Figure 9: Free-from food and drink sales vs grocery sales, NI and RoI 2012-17
Market Drivers
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- Price rises set to impact free-from market
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- Figure 10: Consumer Price Index vs food price inflation, UK (including NI) 2012-17*
- ‘Lifestylers’ boosting sales of free-from food
- Consumers beginning to realise free-from does not mean healthier
- Wider availability has been key to free-from growth
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- Figure 11: Top 10 companies in gluten-free and dairy-free market, UK and Ireland, January 2012-17
- Dairy-free market takes off
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- Figure 12: New products launched in free-from food market, UK and Ireland, January 2012-17
- NHS curbs gluten-free prescriptions
- Burgeoning economy in RoI bodes well for free-from market
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- Figure 13: Thinking specifically about your own personal financial situation, do you think that it will improve, stay the same or get worse over the next 12 months, NI and RoI, April 2017
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- Figure 14: Sterling (£) to euro (€) exchange rate, 2010-17
- Ireland holds free-from awards
- Rise in allergies and intolerances
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- Figure 15: Types of complaints received by FSAI over 2016
- FODMAP diet gains traction
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Alpro extends into new segments
- Growth seen in naturally gluten-free snacks
- War on sugar influencing dairy-substitutes
Who’s Innovating?
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- Alpro launches the largest number of free-from foods in the last five years
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- Figure 16: Top 10 free-from food manufacturers by number of new product launches, UK and Ireland, 2013-17*
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- Figure 17: Share of product launches in the UK and Irish retail food market featuring low/no/reduced allergen, gluten-free or vegetarian claims, 2012-17
- High level of low/no/reduced allergen launched to milk sector
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- Figure 18: Top five most common allergen reduced or removed from new product launched, UK and Ireland, January 2013-17
- Super Foods overtakes Alpro in low/no/reduced lactose launches
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- Figure 19: Companies with low/no/reduced lactose on new product launches in UK and Ireland, January 2013-17
- Alpro expanding range to target different market segments
- Tesco launch Lactose-free range
- Gluten-free claims continue to expand throughout all food categories
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Gluten most avoided type of food/ingredient by Irish consumers
- Dairy-substitutes most widely bought free-from food
- Irish consumers want low sugar free-from options
- Peers influential in purchasing of free-from
Types of Food and Ingredients that Irish Consumers Avoid
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- Gluten most avoided food/ingredient in IoI
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- Figure 20: Types of food/ingredients avoided because they/a member of household has a confirmed or suspected allergy/intolerance, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Soya and lactose avoided for health reasons
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- Figure 21: Types of food/ingredients Irish consumers avoid as part of a general healthy lifestyle, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Red meat avoided for ethical/vegetarian/religious reasons
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- Figure 22: Types of food/ingredients Irish consumers avoid for ethical/vegetarian/ethical reasons, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Eggs – Least avoided food/ingredient
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- Figure 23: Types of food/ingredients Irish consumers don’t avoid, NI and RoI, April 2017
Types of Free-from Products Bought and Eaten
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- Dairy-substitutes bought and eaten by Irish consumers
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- Figure 24: Types of free-from food and drink consumers have bought or eaten for themselves in the last six months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Dairy-free substitutes appeal to NI women
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- Figure 25: Consumers who have purchased and eaten dairy-free substitutes in the last six months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- ABC1 consumers buy gluten-free
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- Figure 26: Consumers who have bought and eaten gluten-free food and drink in the last six months, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Men are key market for diabetic-friendly
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- Figure 27: Consumers who have bought diabetic-friendly products in the last six months, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Single consumers buy meat-free
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- Figure 28: Consumers who have bought meat-free food (eg Quorn) in the last six months, by marital status, NI and RoI, April 2017
Qualities Irish Consumers Would Like to See in New Free-from Foods
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- Irish consumers want low sugar free-from
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- Figure 29: Qualities Irish consumers would be interested in seeing in new free-from food, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Boomers want low sugar free-from options
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- Figure 30: Consumers who would like to see new free-from food that is low in sugar, by age, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Women in RoI want all natural free-from food
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- Figure 31: Consumers who would like to see new free-from food made with all-natural ingredients, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Irish men want low salt alternatives
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- Figure 32: Consumers who would like to see new free-from foods low in salt, by gender, NI and RoI, June 2017
Attitudes towards Free-from Food
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- Recommendations from friends/family key enticement towards free-from
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- Figure 33: Agreement with statements relating to free-from food, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Women influenced by friends and family
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- Figure 34: Consumers who agree with the statement ‘I would try a free-from food product if it was recommended by friends or family, by gender, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Price is an issue for Irish consumers
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- Figure 35: Consumers who agree with the statement ‘Free-from food is too expensive’, by social grade, NI and RoI, April 2017
- Irish consumers demand clearer labelling
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- Figure 36: Consumers who agree with the statement ‘I think there needs to be clearer nutritional content labelling on free-from food’ NI and RoI, April 2017
- Irish women interested in on-the-go snacks
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- Figure 37: Consumers who agree with the statement ‘I would be interested in seeing a wider range of on-the-go snacks that are free-from, by gender, NI and Roi, April 2017
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Data sources
- Generational cohort definitions
- Abbreviations
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