Frequently Asked Questions Find everything you need to know about coeliac disease, the gluten free diet and the work we do.
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Did you increase the fee because you do not have to be diagnosed to become a Member?
We are committed to having an inclusive Membership and extending access to those who are diagnosed, seeking diagnosis, family and friends, and carers and supporters. However, our Membership fees, along with fundraising and advertising revenue from commercial partners, are used to providing expert advice and information, funding research into more understanding of the disease and potential cure, and campaigning to increase diagnosis rates and access to gluten-free food in and out of the home.
How do I recommend a venue?
Click on the button that looks like a pin with a plus sign on it. You can submit details of your favourite places and we will get these added to our database.
Do the requirements of the Food Information Regulation apply to packaged foods when I go on holiday?
Yes. The Food Information Regulation applies to all EU countries so you will see changes if you travel in Europe. Although you will need to know the translation of the words wheat, rye, barley and oats, these will be emphasised in the ingredients list so will be easier to spot. We have translations in a number of languages on our website, just visit the Holidays and Travel section.
I sent you details of a venue and it isn’t shown here?
We have a process to check with the venue about details of the submission and that they are happy to appear in our Venue Guide. That may take some time to complete.
Who enforces labelling laws?
Enforcement Officers from Trading Standards and/or Environmental Health Officers enforce the laws on food labelling.
I’ve found a product that is labelled gluten free – why isn’t it on the app? Can I eat it?
If a product says it is gluten free on the label, it must be gluten free by law so it will be suitable for you to include in your gluten free diet.
We rely on manufacturers and retailers to provide us with information on their products in order for us to list them in our database. To help us list even more products, we’d recommend that you contact the manufacturer or retailer to encourage them to provide us with information for our database.
I’ve found a product in the app but the label has wheat/barley/rye/may contain on it?
Manufacturers sometimes change their ingredients without notifying us. If you do find that a product in the Directory contains gluten, please do contact us on 0333 332 2033, selecting option two so that we can investigate.
What if a restaurant makes a mistake when trying to comply with the Food Information Regulation? Will they be penalised?
At first if a food business does not comply with the new rules, enforcement officers are able to serve notices to specify what the business has to do to comply and when they need to do this by. If they still do not comply they can be prosecuted and fined, however they will be given support and advice to help them to understand the new rules and work within them.
Are there any incentives for pharmacists taking part in the Community pharmacy supply of gluten-free foods scheme?
Introducing a pharmacy led supply scheme allows better stock control of gluten-free foods for pharmacists as well as providing a more flexible service to improve the patient experience.
Pharmacists and GP dispensaries are paid a service charge at six monthly intervals for each patient who accesses the service. When the scheme in Northamptonshire was introduced it was run as an Enhanced Service with funding for this element of the contract coming from Primary Care Contracting budgets.