Are Aldi Getting A Full Gluten Free Range?

Are Aldi stores getting their own gluten free section? Well, the answer is possibly. We know some stores now have a gluten free section but to be honest we are getting mixed replies about whether it is a permanent range or not. We have heard of over 10 managers in different stores around the country telling customers that there is going to be a permanent gluten free section, however when we contacted head office we were greeted with a generic reply;

At present, we do not currently offer a dedicated gluten free range. However our products are constantly under review in line with changes in the market, and customer demand

They sent me a link to a list containing 40 pages of products they sell, all of which do not contain gluten. The website also states gluten free is available in store every day but doesn't mention they have a specific range.

Earlier this year they stocked a selection of gluten free foods as part of their special buys, this range included many basic items; biscuits, cereal, bread, pasta etc, and a few months later they repeated this with a similar selection of gluten free products. Since the second lot of gluten free products hit the shelves there has been much speculation about a dedicated gluten free range. Many people have asked staff and have been told there was going to be a gluten free range in store from November this year, so hopefully, anytime now.

However if we are to believe the email we got from head office, there are no plans to have a dedicated range. While the shop hasn't actually got a specific section like the other major supermarkets who have gluten free aisles, there have been many gluten free products popping up in stores for Christmas including Christmas Cake, Christmas Pudding and Ginger Biscuits, these are all mixed in with regular products though so you have to be on the look out.

Some stores, including Reading, St Austell and Swansea, have had a gluten free section added from this month so we think a dedicated range is slowing rolling out despite what our email response was, which is why some managers have been saying they will have a dedicated GF range from November and others seem to know nothing about it. The stores with the gluten free range seem to have similar products as on the special buys earlier this year including, Pulsin bars, Ilumi meal pouches, Nestle gluten free cereal, Feel Free cake mix and Gullon cookies.

While they say there is apparently no dedicated section in all stores I think the proof is in the pudding (the Christmas pudding maybe) that they are certainly implementing a gluten free range into the stores, otherwise I doubt we would be seeing these Christmas gluten free products in most stores and gluten free sections in some other stores. Even their Christmas catalogue proudly labels all their stuffing and chipolata sausages as being gluten free. We hope these dedicated ranges will be rolled out everywhere, no doubt they will be in the stores where the special buys sold best first then rolled out everywhere else.

If your local Aldi doesn't have a gluten free section yet, be on the look out as we have a feeling gluten free sections could be in all stores before long (we hope so as ours doesn't have one yet!)