Inflation hits those with allergies hard

The price of foods made specifically for Kiwis with food allergies is estimated to have risen by an average of 35% since the cost-of-living crisis began.

Dr Amy Sevao, chief executive of the country’s largest Asian food producers, said data she had analysed of foods free from some the most common allergens of egg, dairy and gluten showed their prices had increased significantly, surpassing that of the national rise in food prices.

Sevao, who co-owns dumpling and bao bun brand Old Country Foods, found that the retail cost of allergen-free foods per 100g was significantly higher than those that were not.

She compared the price of items allergen-free and not allergen-free from the same company, looking at items such gluten-free flour and regular flour products.

On average consumers were found to pay 35% more for a free-from-allergen product, however this number was found to be up to 122% on some items.

Only two of the free-from products Sevao compared were the same price or less than the standard equivalent, and while allergenfree foods were found to be more expensive, they were also sold in much smaller quantities, in some cases, 40% smaller packages.

‘‘What we looked at was a sample of food products available in supermarkets which had either a gluten-free, dairy or egg-free or vegan alternative product marketed by the same manufacturer under the same brand,’’ Sevao said.

Food prices are at a 14-year high, rising by 0.9% last month and are up 8% on this time

‘‘To keep yourself safe, you have to spend 35% more on food. That seems a bit discriminatory and unfair.’’ Dr Amy Sevao Old Country Foods chief executive

last year. Between 30% and 40% of the population are estimated to be affected by food allergies and about 100,000 New Zealanders have an allergy to peanuts.

Sevao said allergen-free foods were often marked up in price as these foods were made in specialised and separate manufacturing facilities, and a lot of research and development had gone into developing flavours and additives that mimicked the taste of the real thing.

But she did not believe this could justify why manufacturers charged such a high premium. ‘‘Often it is a lot of effort to develop these products but it does not make sense to have it priced at a certain high price point.

‘‘Ten times more customers would buy your product rather than just the people forced to. To keep yourself safe, you have to spend 35% more on food. That seems a bit discriminatory and unfair.’’ One Auckland woman, whom Stuff agreed not to name, said her 6-year-old son had a peanut allergy and she was not surprised that allergen-free foods were on average 35% more expensive.

‘‘It is expensive but the packets are also smaller,’’ the woman said.

‘‘It is actually really hard to find products without peanuts and, when you do, they often cost a bit more.’’

The woman said it was becoming very expensive to be a person with an allergy and she believed the prices were marked higher due to demand for these products being smaller.

‘‘You’d think because these products don’t have [the allergen] they would be cheaper but my gut feeling is that people who are, say, gluten-free have to buy that product and so because they have to buy it they know people will purchase their products.’’