Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he is having with supermarket chains and others to ensure that people with coeliac disease are guaranteed access to gluten-free foods while stocks are under pressure as a result of covid-19-related panic buying.

The Government has well-established ways of working with the food industry during disruption to supply situations. The food retail industry is working around the clock to ensure people have the food and products they need. We are aware of the additional availability issues faced by people who have particular dietary requirements, including those intolerant to gluten, and are working with the industry to ensure that everybody is able to get the food that they need. Industry is adapting quickly to any changes in demands, and food supply into and across the UK is resilient.

The Secretary of State is holding regular conversations with industry to discuss any additional support the Government can provide. To help industry respond to this unprecedented demand we have already introduced new measures to keep food supply flowing. We have issued guidance to local authorities to allow extended delivery hours to supermarkets so that shelves can be filled up quicker, and we have implemented extensions to drivers’ hours.

The rules around labelling of allergens in food as well as labelling of ‘gluten free’ and ‘very low gluten’ will remain unchanged during the current challenging period.

We will continue to work closely with the industry over the coming days and months.