Gingerbread baking is part of many people’s Christmas traditions, but for those who cannot tolerate gluten, baking is more expensive. If Ann-Helen is going to buy ready-made gingerbread dough at her convenience store, it costs NOK 199.80 for one kilo. Whereas for those who can tolerate gluten, it costs NOK 47.90. – It is completely “rotten”, says Torvik Wang. Liv Haugen, who also has celiac disease, completely agrees. A normal gingerbread dough with gluten costs NOK 47.90 per kilo. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news The gluten-free gingerbread dough costs NOK 199.80 per kilo. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news What is celiac disease? Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease caused by a hypersensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and spelt. In a celiac who ingests gluten, the lining of the small intestine will become inflamed, the bowel movements will be reduced and the ability to absorb the nutrients in the food will be weakened. Today, it is believed that 7-8% of the population in Norway cannot tolerate gluten or other substances in wheat. Between 1-2% of these have celiac disease, while many have non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Others who cannot tolerate gluten may have DH, which is called celiac disease of the skin, while others again have a wheat allergy. More information about this can be found at the Norwegian Celiac Association. – Very vulnerable when everything rises Women receive different financial support for the purchase of gluten-free products. The reason is that they belong to different age groups. Those under 30 get more than those over. But both believe the support is far too low, and not enough for food for a whole month. – Sometimes you wonder if people know that this is our medicine? We cannot stop eating gluten-free, says Haugen. Torvik Wang also adds that it is very vulnerable at a time like now, when everything rises in price. Price difference between gluten-free and regular products news has checked the price difference for some products on the colonial website Oda: Gluten-free Grandiosa costs 79.90. While an original Grandiosa costs NOK 55.60. A gluten-free loaf of 500 grams costs 62.30. A 770-gram round-baked plain loaf of bread costs 36.50. A package of gluten-free shortbread of 240 grams costs NOK 51.40. 260 grams of ordinary Husman shortbread costs NOK 13.70. 400 grams of gluten-free spaghetti costs NOK 30.70. Normal spaghetti of 500 grams costs NOK 17.90. Will take a new assessment Tomas Norvoll, state secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion, says gluten-free foods have a high price because they are often more expensive to produce, and are products that are produced in smaller quantities. – This is also the reason why there is a scheme where those with celiac disease receive a subsidy, to compensate for the fact that the diet becomes more expensive, says Norvoll. State Secretary in the Ministry of Labor and Inclusion, Tomas Norvoll, says a new assessment will be made of the number of NOK in support in next year’s national budget. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news He explains that the support is based on a survey from 2018 that the Consumer Research Institute SIFO did for the government. But he also adds that the government increases support in line with the rise in prices. In next year’s state budget, the government has given those on the first rate an increase of NOK 19 a month per person, and those on the second rate NOK 29. – But then the price increase has been higher, and that means that a new assessment will be made of all the rates in the revised national budget, when you see more about how the price increase in 2023 will actually be. Ann-Helen Torvik Wang and Liv Haugen think the price of gluten-free products is far too high. They also say that gluten-free products are rarely offered. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news – Tull og tøys Secretary General of the Norwegian Celiac Association, Knut H. Peterson, reacts to Norvoll saying they are increasing support in line with the rise in prices. – I would call it nonsense. It is nowhere near what the price increase has been, says Peterson. He believes that the basic support for those with celiac disease is far too low. And when it comes to the example of gingerbread dough, he says that this is another example of things that you, as a celiac, cannot afford to indulge in if you look at the support. Knut H. Peterson, secretary general of the Celiac Association, believes that the increase in basic support is nowhere near covering the rise in prices. – It is a typical product that the government says: “You must not have gingerbread to survive in this society”, so it is not included in the calculation that will provide the basic support. Most people want gingerbread for Christmas, and should get it, but it is not within what the government believes the basic benefit should cover. Peterson says it is the first time in many years that there has been a change in the basic support, and that the change we are seeing is nowhere near covering what the price increase has been. A few years ago, the Celiac Association compared a gluten-free trolley with a “regular” one, to see the price difference. – We are now planning to take the same basket, and see what the goods cost next year, compared to the last time we had it. Then we will get a real price increase that we can present and incorporate into the revised national budget. The convenience store at Lauvstad. If they are going on another, they have to take a ferry. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news Have to take a ferry to go to another store Both Haugen and Torvik Wang both live in Lauvstad in Volda, and most often shop at their convenience store Coop Marked. They are both fully aware that prices vary from store to store. But if they were to go to another, cheaper shop, they would have to take the ferry across the fjord. If the women are going to a shop other than the convenience store, they must take the ferry across the fjord to Volda. Photo: Annabelle Kårvåg Sørensen / news Communications manager Harald Kristiansen at Coop Norge says that gluten-free products are more expensive because they have higher purchase prices. It therefore costs them more to buy gluten-free products than those without. – In addition, it is the case that very many of the ordinary products such as gingerbread with gluten, we sell them in large volumes and the price competition is tougher. Especially towards seasons such as Christmas, the price of these items falls sharply, and we then get a bigger price difference compared to the gluten-free products. But even if it is expensive, the women will not put aside the tradition of gingerbread baking.
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Thinks gluten-free food costs too much and that the support for those with celiac disease is too low – news Møre og Romsdal – Local news, TV and radio
