PP030 - AVAILABILITY OF LABELLED GLUTEN-FREE MEALS IN RESTAURANTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ACROSS EUROPEAN AND COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES

PP030

AVAILABILITY OF LABELLED GLUTEN-FREE MEALS IN RESTAURANTS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY ACROSS EUROPEAN AND COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES

V. Svolos^1,*, S. Carlos¹, E. Galanopoulou², G. Lavasa¹, I. A. Verdou¹, I. Manolarakis¹, I. Pavlou¹, D. E. Strongylou¹, O. Androutsos¹

¹Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Physical Education, Sport Science and Dietetics, University of Thessaly, University of Thessaly , Trikala, ²Hellenic Coeliac Society, Athens, Greece

Rationale: A gluten-free (GF) diet is the only evidence-based treatment for coeliac disease (CD), yet adherence remains challenging due to limited access to safe options when eating outside the home. This study aimed to quantify the verifiable availability of GF menu options, assessed agreement with online “GF options” indicators, and compared availability and cost across countries.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a standardized protocol across seven countries (Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland). A total of 4,379 restaurants listed on TripAdvisor were screened. In cities with >10,000 inhabitants, up to 10 restaurants with accessible and legible menus were assessed. Data collected included explicit GF menu labelling, TripAdvisor “GF Options” indication, and restaurant price category. Analyses were descriptive and comparative.

Results: Overall, 32.1% of restaurants provided ≥1 clearly labelled GF dish (England 39.3%, Scotland 47.6%, Wales 42.4%, Northern Ireland 34.5%, Ireland 23.6%, Cyprus 4.2%, Greece 3.6% p<0.001). TripAdvisor indicated 67.3%, showing substantial overestimation of GF availability. Greece showed among the lowest availability and fewer cities with GF offerings. Restaurants offering GF dishes were more often higher-priced in Greece, Wales, and Northern Ireland, suggesting potential economic disparities.

Conclusion: Verifiable availability of gluten-free (GF) menu options is limited and varies across countries, with lower availability in Greece and Cyprus and higher in the United Kingdom. Online platforms may overestimate actual GF options, highlighting the need for verification through menu review or direct contact. These findings emphasize the need for improved transparency, standardized labelling, and strategies to support safe, accessible eating environments for individuals with CD.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared