Q&A: Why do people pay more money for “Gluten-free” Rice Krispies when ALL Rice Krispies are Gluten-free?
Question: Why do people pay more money for “Gluten-free” Rice Krispies when ALL Rice Krispies are Gluten-free?
Saw a box of “Gluten-free” Rice Krispies in the grocery store yesterday and had to laugh. As someone who was once believed to have Celiac disease, I had to do the gluten-free diet for over a year. I also had a wheat allergy so the gluten-free products were my friend. Needless to say, Rice Krispies were the only decent tasting wheat-free cereal. Als noted a 22 oz box of regular Rice Krispies were a mere $ 2.99 while the 12 oz “Gluten-free” variety were marked at $ 3.89. So I ask, anyone who needs to be on a Gluten-free diet should also know rice and rice flour are your main ingredients in the grain group, so why wouldn’t they simply purchase the larger, cheaper, boxes?
Answer:
Answer by ?
They are processed differently with less sugars and salts added.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
It’s strictly a sales ploy. Gluten free has become the flavour of the month for dieters.
Part of it might be because gluten is found in surprising things, or processed by the same equipment as a non-gluten-free product. Just because it has no wheat doesn’t mean it doesn’t have gluten.
Rice Krispies use “malt flavoring” which is often made from barley. Those very sensitive to gluten tend to stay away from food products with malt flavoring because of this.
I don’t know specifically, because I don’t live in the USA, but there may be a few reasons.
1. People are dumb. I’ve seen people pocking up gluten free plain chips/crisps which are about 3 times the amount of the normal ones that are also gluten free.
2. They don’t know. Lots of people are lazy and too scared to try things that don’t say gluten free.
3. Maybe they’re not actually gluten free. Where I live the Rice Bubbles contain barely, so they’re not gluten free.
4. Maybe they’re produced/packed on a line with gluten containing products and some people are super sensitive.
Generally it’s just a marketing campaign.
….