Gluten-free Foods Show Staying Power

The gluten-free market continues to show staying power beyond its reputation as a passing dietary fad, according to research firm Packaged Facts.

Sales of such foods in the retail sector posted compound annual growth of 34 percent over the five-year period ended 2014, reaching $973 million, according to a new report, "Gluten-Free Foods in the U.S., 5th Edition." And Packaged Facts projects sales to exceed $2 billion by 2019.

More than one-third of consumers claim gluten-free/wheat-free is an important factor when shopping for food, according to the firm's July/August 2014 survey data, and one-quarter of respondents had purchased or used food products labeled gluten-free in the prior three months.

“Retailers have embraced the gluten-free trend by stocking more gluten-free items, featuring them in store, and launching their own private label brands," said Packaged Facts Research Director David Sprinkle. "In addition, retail chains have been courting the gluten-free consumer with a variety of festivals and events.”

Packaged Facts is a division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com.