Dive Brief:

• Gluten-free foods have soared in popularity, but concerns about celiac disease explains only a small portion of that gain.
• Of consumers who buy gluten-free, some 27 percent do so because they believe it helps with weight loss. About 65 percent simply believe gluten-free foods are healthier. Neither of those beliefs are supported by research.
• More than one-third of gluten-free shoppers say they eat the products for reasons other than food sensitivities.

Dive Insight:

The research may not support much of the reasoning behind gluten-free eating, but that doesn't mean that gluten-free eating is unreasonable. Our sense is that many consumers are confused by gluten-free labels. But we also sense that there are loads of people who learn through experience that avoiding gluten makes them feel better. We know people like that, and we are not inclined to argue with them. There appears to be no advantage to having gluten in the diet. And if avoiding it has any benefit -- perceived or genuine -- who are we to argue?