Those with food allergies are being penalised for paying extra this Easter, says The Milk Allergy Dietitian, Lydia Collins-Hussey – but not only on price, but they are also getting less for their buck too!
The cost-of-living crisis has seen increases in our food shop over the last year, yet this has been an ongoing problem for those with food allergies with the price of ‘free from’ food increasing every few months. This Easter sees ‘free from’ Easter eggs increase by 59% compared to regular versions.
For example Cadburys Mini Eggs are £1.25 for 80g, the equivalent ‘free from’ Moo Free Choccy eggs are £2.25 for 50g. The same can be seen for Cadburys Button Easter Egg which is £3.00, containing 195g, Asda Free From Marble Choc Easter Egg is £4.00 and 160g.
It isn’t just Easter eggs, says Lydia Collins-Hussey, Specialist Paediatric Allergy Dietitian; “We have seen huge increases in everyday items such as those needing to use a plant-based milk for their milk allergy. These have increased almost a third in the last year.”
Kate Lancaster, ‘The Dairy Free Mum’, with 42K followers on Instagram, has two children, one who has a milk allergy and the other who has since outgrown. Kate knows exactly what it is like to feel the pinch of allergy friendly products, Kate said; “Allergy friendly Easter chocolates and treats have definitely improved in variety and quality over recent years, but frustratingly they’re still so much more expensive than ‘normal’ versions. As an allergy parent you don’t want your child missing out but the added cost is difficult to swallow, especially in current times. We’ve seen a huge rise in our shopping bill for allergy friendly products and alternatives like milk, cheese and yoghurt. The oat milk we buy is now £2.20 a litre, and the amount my toddler needs means it’s around £40 a month just for that!”
This is in line with the Food Standards agency (FSA) findings, which showed food allergy households spend 12-27% more on their weekly shop compared to those that don’t have food allergy. “How is that fair? Why are they being penalised?” questions Lydia, “This is absolutely unacceptable, more must be done to help the allergy community.”
Lydia is currently working with the British Dietetic Association, Food Allergy Specialist Group to produce a resource to help families and those living with food allergies, whilst still ensuring a nutritious and balanced diet. She shares some of her tips below:
Top 5 Tips from Specialist Paediatric Allergy Dietitian for Saving Money When Shopping with Food Allergies:
1. Focus on foods that are naturally free from your restricted food to avoid buying the more expensive specialist products. There are plenty of weekly essentials that are nutritious and lower in price, such as tinned or frozen vegetables, potatoes, rice, etc..
2. Check your favourite products online or through the trolley.co.uk app which allows you to compare product prices across UK supermarkets
3. Look out for supermarket own brands, they can be just as nutritious and delicious as premium brands. Tesco, Asda, Morrison’s, Co-op and Sainsbury’s have good free from ranges
4. Use supermarket loyalty schemes (e.g Tesco Clubcard, Sainsburys Nectar, Lidl Plus App) this can significantly reduce the cost of premium products
5. Look out for online subscription services, particularly useful if buying a plant based milk (e.g 6 x UHT plant milks and get 50p off each bottle)
For more information about Lydia Collins-Hussey, Specialist Paediatric Allergy Dietitian, please visit: www.themilkallergydietitian.com
