WE JUST LAUNCHED:
šŸŽ OFFERS & šŸ“† EVENTS
shopping
supermarket comparison

Waitrose - Gluten vs Gluten Free Basket Comparison

Have a look what the prices were like for gluten free at Waitrose compared to the standard item prices

Waitrose shop

Table of Contents

If you donā€™t know what our Glee basket comparison is all about, then click here to read the introduction!

So far, weā€™ve compared the prices at Morrisons, Sainsburyā€™s and most recently, M&S, so make sure you check out the other blogs on our website before you read this weekā€™s.

A reminder, weā€™re comparing the price of 9 gluten free products with their gluten containing version across 8 of the UKā€™s major supermarkets to see where the cheapest place to shop for gluten free is.

Of course, we know that cheap isnā€™t always best (especially for gluten free) but this comparison will allow us to clearly highlight the price differences between basic gluten and gluten free items and see how prices vary between the supermarkets.

Weā€™ve created a dedicated comparison page on our website to keep track of the supermarket prices weā€™re reviewing. Click here to see the leaderboard šŸ†

Waitrose, youā€™re up! šŸ•ŗšŸ¼

Porridge oats

Waitrose Porridge Oats

Porridge Oats 1kg
Ā£1.25
13p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Porridge Oats

Free From Porridge Oats 400g
Ā£2.10
53p per 100g

Waitrose normal porridge oats are Ā£1.25 for a 1kg pack vs gluten free oats which are priced at Ā£2.10 for 400g.

So, shopping at Waitrose for gluten free oats, youā€™ll be paying Ā 85pĀ  more for the gluten free oats which is a Ā 68%Ā  increase in product price.

However, taking into account that the gluten free oats are more than half the weight of the normal oats, per 100g, the gluten free oats are Ā 40pĀ  more, which is Ā 320% more expensive than what you get price per 100g for the regular oats.

Weā€™re not off to a good start here Waitroseā€¦

Box of cereal

Waitrose Corn Flakes

Corn Flakes 500g
Ā£1.00
20p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Corn Flakes

Doves Farm Free From Cornflakes 325g
Ā£3.25
Ā£1.00 per 100g

So it seems that Waitrose only stock gluten free branded cereal and donā€™t have their own range, so weā€™re comparing Waitrose own corn flakes to the branded Doves Farm gluten free corn flakes. Own branded corn flakes are Ā£1.00 for 500g and the gluten free branded ones are Ā£3.25 for 325g.

So, comparing the product price first, buying the gluten free cereal means you have to spend Ā Ā£2.25Ā  more which is a Ā 225%Ā  increase!

As always, this is why itā€™s important to look at what youā€™re getting per 100g, because, even though already the gluten free cereal is miles more expensive, youā€™re getting 125g less. Per 100g, gluten free cereal is Ā 80pĀ  more and Ā 400% more expensive than the normal corn flakes.

Loaf of white/brown/seeded bread

Waitrose Farmhouse Loaf

Multigrain Farmhouse Loaf 400g
Ā£1.15
29p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Seed Loaf

Free From Mixed Seed Loaf 400g
Ā£2.95
74p per 100g

A gluten filled 400g multigrain loaf at Waitrose will cost you Ā£1.15, whereas a 400g gluten free seeded loaf will set you back Ā£2.95; way more than double the price of the standard loaf!

Buying the gluten free loaf means youā€™re spending Ā Ā£1.80Ā  more, which is a percentage increase of Ā 157%Ā .

Per 100g, the gluten free loaf costs Ā 45pĀ  more and thatā€™s another Ā 157%Ā  increase.

Pack of 4 white/brown/seeded bread rolls

Waitrose White Rolls

4 Seeded White Rolls 280g
Ā£1.20
43p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free White Rolls

Free From 4 White Rolls 300g
Ā£2.90
97p per 100g

The 4 pack of normal rolls cost Ā£1.20 whereas the 4 pack of gluten free rolls cost Ā£2.90.

Thatā€™s a price increase of Ā Ā£1.70Ā  for the gluten free rolls which is Ā 142%Ā  more expensive than the gluten product even though youā€™re getting the same amount.

So, per 100g, the gluten free rolls cost Ā 54pĀ  more with an Ā 126%Ā  increase.

Pasta

Waitrose Pasta

Penne Pasta 500g
Ā£0.75
15p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Pasta

Free From Fusilli Pasta 500g
Ā£1.75
35p per 100g

Waitrose own branded standard pasta had been discounted from 95p to 75p for 500g. The 500g gluten free pasta also had a ā€˜New Lower Priceā€™ sticker on but the discount of 25p was the price going from Ā£2.00 down to Ā£1.75 so not really anything to shout about to be honest.

The price of gluten free pasta at Waitrose is Ā Ā£1.00Ā  more than itā€™s normal range pasta and that is a Ā 133%Ā  increase, matching the prices of M&S pasta.

Per 100g, the gluten free pasta is Ā 20pĀ  more and is Ā 133%Ā  more expensive than the normal pasta.

Spaghetti

Waitrose Spaghetti

Waitrose Spaghetti 500g
Ā£0.75
15p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Spaghetti

Free From Spaghetti 500g
Ā£1.75
35p per 100g

The spaghetti prices are exactly the same as the pasta, with the normal spaghetti priced at 75p but gluten free at Ā£1.75, both weighing 500g. The price of the standard own brand pasta and spaghetti match a lot of the other supermarkets on price but with them leaving the gluten free pasta at a much higher price, it means that the price increase is even more obvious.

Again, that means that the gluten free spaghetti costs Ā Ā£1.00Ā  more and is Ā 133%Ā  more expensive than the normal spaghetti.

Per 100g, the gluten free spaghetti costs Ā 20pĀ  more and is a Ā 133%Ā  increase.

Plain flour

Waitrose Plain Flour

Plain Flour 1.5kg
Ā£0.85
6p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Plain Flour

Doves Farm Free From Plain White Flour 1kg
Ā£2.00
20p per 100g

Weā€™re back to looking at the Doves Farm flour for Waitrose gluten free because they donā€™t do their own brand. Itā€™s priced at Ā£2.00 for 1kg but their own branded standard flour comes in more than half the price at 85p for 500g more.

So the gluten free flour is Ā Ā£1.15Ā  more and thatā€™s Ā 135%Ā  more expensive than the standard flour.

But, when you consider the prices per 100g, the price increases even more; the gluten free flour is Ā 14pĀ  more expensive which is a large 253%Ā  increase.

Digestive biscuits

Waitrose Digestives

Chocolate Digestive Biscuits 300g
Ā£0.90
30p per 100g

Waitrose Schar Gluten Free Digestivs

Schar Free From Digestive Biscuits 150g
Ā£1.90
Ā£1.27 per 100g

Digestives are back at it being ridiculously more expensive per 100g for gluten free?! Also, Iā€™m not sure why, but my Waitrose (and online) didnā€™t stock any plain digestives, I could only find chocolate ones. Too fancy!

There also wasnā€™t the option to buy own branded gluten free digestives so Iā€™ve had to use Schar as this was the option for digestives in the free from section. The chocolate digestives are 90p for 300g and the gluten free Schar ones, Ā£1.90 for half the amount, 150g.

That means that youā€™re spending Ā Ā£1.00Ā  more having to buy gluten free digestive biscuits which is a Ā 111%Ā  increase on price per product.

As always, the increase getā€™s bigger when you check the price per 100g. The gluten free biscuits are are Ā 97pĀ  more expensive per 100g with an eyebrow raising percentage increase of Ā 322%Ā .

Gravy Granules

Waitrose Gravy Granules

Gravy Granules 170g
Ā£1.00
59p per 100g

Waitrose Gluten Free Gravy Granules

Marigold Free From Gravy Granules 170g
Ā£1.80
Ā£1.06 per 100g

Waitrose didnā€™t offer their own brand version of gluten free gravy granules but they did have this ā€˜Marigoldā€™ brand which is vegan and gluten free. The gravy granules containing wheat will cost you Ā£1.00 and the gluten free branded, Ā£1.80, both 170g.

For gluten free gravy, youā€™re spending 80pĀ  more for the product and thatā€™s an Ā 80%Ā  increase on the gluten containing tub.

Per 100g, thatā€™s Ā 47pĀ  more expensive and an increase of Ā 80%Ā , when youā€™re buying gluten free.

THE RESULTS!

Waitrose Gluten Basket

Gluten Basket
Total cost Ā£8.85
Per 100g Ā£2.29

Waitrose Gluten Free Basket

Gluten Free Basket
Total cost Ā£20.40
Per 100g Ā£6.45

So, the shop has been done, the baskets filled and the total price has been calculated. At Waitrose, the basket containing all of the normal gluten containing products comes to Ā£8.85. It will cost you a massive Ā Ā£11.55Ā  more however, to buy the 9 gluten free items, which has totalled up to Ā£20.40. Thatā€™s more than double the price with a basket price increase of Ā 131%Ā .

If we look at the baskets in quantity/weight, the total price per 100g for each item in the gluten basket comes to Ā£2.29. The gluten free basket however, is almost TRIPLE the price that at Ā£6.45 which is Ā Ā£4.17Ā  more expensive and the biggest price difference weā€™ve seen between a gluten basket and a gluten free basket at Ā 182%Ā .

I think we all assumed that Waitrose was going to be up there with the expensive places to shop in general. But surprisingly, Waitrose has actually come out cheaper than Morrisons in both price product and price per 100g for itā€™s normal range.

However, the Waitrose gluten free basket has turned out to be the most expensive of the baskets so far. That could be because we had to use a few brands in there, but when thereā€™s no other option but to buy branded, youā€™ll be paying the higher price.

Similar to Sainsburyā€™s, Waitrose has some explaining to do in terms of how they can justify such an enormous price difference of Ā£11.55 for 9 basic items just because theyā€™re gluten free?! šŸ„µ

Does this shock anyone or were you expecting it?

Now that we have 4 supermarkets ticked off the list, make sure you check the supermarket leaderboard by clicking here!

According to the answers to our poll that we asked a few weeks ago, the most popular supermarket to shop at for gluten free is up next so, Tesco shoppers, you wonā€™t want to miss this one!