Increased prices for free-from labels affect Newcastle students with coeliac disease and welfare officer urged for lobbying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Newcastle\u2019s Student Union Welfare Officer, Hisham Salamathullah, 27, said that the pressures of the cost of living crisis on coeliac students, \u201crestricts them to have a proper diet and will adversely affect their physical and mental health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added, \u201cwe are working on one pound meals\u201d and \u201cgluten free food is something we can lobby\u201d in hopes of improving the ongoing issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 2024 Coeliac UK report <\/em><\/strong><\/a>reveals that coeliac sufferers spend 35% more on their food shops than those without the allergy. Gluten free food has always been more expensive but with the cost of living crisis and inflation, 77% <\/strong><\/em><\/a>of coeliacs report that gluten free food is now unaffordable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Students especially have been affected by the cost of living crisis with student living costs increasing and 67% <\/strong><\/em><\/a>of students have skipped meals at least some of the time to save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Student and president of the Coeliac Society at Newcastle University, Saskia Ward, 21, said, \u201cit\u2019s frustrating because so many people see it as a choice or luxury item but they’d be outraged at how much we really pay for complete basics.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Students with coeliac disease struggle to afford the medically required diet for their allergy. Some have skipped meals, ate gluten, and avoided necessary staples for nutrition, such as bread and pasta, to save money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Individuals and students with coeliac disease are forced to make tough decisions on their food shop. Hollie, a coeliac from the North East, said, \u201cI have to genuinely decide what to buy, like bread is a luxury for me at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gram for gram, the cheapest gluten free loaf is 6.1 <\/a><\/em><\/strong>times more expensive than the cheapest gluten containing loaf. Saskia added, \u201cI’ve often paid four pound plus for a loaf of bread that\u2019s usually about half the size of regular bread.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n NUSU\u2019s Welfare Officer Hisham said the university should consider financial aid \u201cespecially with the harsher fund\u201d for gluten free products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Saskia backed financial aid for students with coeliac and said \u201cI think when it\u2019s a medical necessity like coeliac disease, it would be really helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n North East gluten free businesses were effected by this too. Mary, @marybakes_glutenfree, said \u201cwe have had to raise our prices to reflect the 80% rise in chocolate costs\u201d and all the costs for production have gone up in the past year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gluten free businesses are struggling to maintain profit with production price increases. Jasmine Haden, owner of The Lily Tree Bakery<\/em><\/strong><\/a> said, \u201cflour was 35 pence in COVID, it\u2019s now \u00a31.30\u201d and added \u201cit is really difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Price increases are making gluten free products unaffordable for all with coeliac disease. Students with coeliac are especially struggling with the choice between a healthy diet or financial stability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt becomes a big concern when students have to choose between study or food,” said Hisham. <\/p>\n\n\n\n