People with coeliac disease can now start paying less for their groceries thanks to a new deal going on at Woolies.
The supermarket has partnered with Coeliac Australia to provide a 5% discount on hundreds of gluten-free items, as long as you actually have the disease.
Members of the Coeliac Autralia, a nationwide charity supporting those with the condition, will receive a card which can be used in store or online. No word yet if it’ll include photo ID.
“The price of gluten-free food is an important consideration for people living with coeliac disease,” said Michelle Laforest, CEO of Coeliac Australia.
“Over a year this discount will make a positive difference for our members.”
A 2016 study by the University of Woolongong found that gluten-free diets can cost up to 17% more than non-gluten-free diets. For individual items, the price premium can be as high as five (5!) times their gluten-containing counterpart. That bread isn’t cheap.
Coeliac disease is an autoimmune condition which causes adverse reactions to gluten, which is typically found in wheat.
The disease affects one in 70 Aussies, but Coeliac Australia reckon that a further 270,000 people may go undiagnosed. Although there’s no cure, gluten-free diets can help manage symptoms.
“A strict, lifelong gluten free diet is currently the only recognised medical treatment for coeliac disease,” their website states.
“By removing the cause of the disease, a gluten-free diet allows the small bowel lining to heal and symptoms to resolve.”
But if you eat gluten-free as a personal preference, too bad. You’ll still have to cough up full price for your expensive lifestyle choices.
