Gluten-free products are too expensive for Estonians

Price sensitivity is especially pronounced when it comes to gluten-free products: as many as 83% of buyers of these products consider them expensive, and only 10% believe the price is reasonable. Lactose-free products are considered expensive by 63% of consumers, while 34% find the price reasonable.

“Prisma is known as a retail chain that offers a wide product selection also for customers following special diets, such as people with lactose or gluten sensitivity. This is also reflected in the Norstat survey, where 27% of respondents consider Prisma to have the best selection of lactose-free products and 25% the best selection of gluten-free products. This gives us additional confidence that our decision to permanently lower the prices of more than 300 lactose-free and gluten-free products is necessary,” said Teemu Kilpiä, Country Manager of Prisma in Estonia.

For both lactose-free and gluten-free products, a large share of consumers believe they would buy them more often if they were cheaper. The result is particularly high for gluten-free products: 61% of consumers would purchase them more frequently at a lower price. This also indicates that even if the gluten-free option is preferred, it may be left unpurchased due to the price.

Not just a popular trend

When we asked customers why they buy gluten-free and lactose-free products, it turned out the reasons are not related to social media trends or myths about health. According to respondents, one of the main reasons for choosing such products is feeling better. This is especially emphasized by gluten-free product users, of whom nearly 55% cited improved wellbeing or digestion as the reason for consumption. Those who prefer lactose-free products most often pointed to a health concern (46%) as the reason for purchase.

“Since April 2025, we have permanently lowered prices on more than 10,000 products, and the price reduction of 300 gluten- and lactose-free products and plant-based alternatives is a major relief for many of our customers,” said Teemu Kilpiä. “The price reduction is part of Prisma’s Everyday Low Price (EDLP) strategy, meaning these are not temporary campaigns—prices are permanently lower,” he added.

The Norstat survey was conducted from 14 January to 21 January 2026. The target group was 20–60-year-old residents of Tallinn and Harju County, Tartu County, Ida-Viru County and Rapla County. Sample size: 700 respondents (the sample is representative of the Estonian population by gender, nationality, age and region).