Is Costco or Kirkland Generic Claritin Gluten-Free?

Celiac.com 04/24/2021 - We get a lot of questions from celiac community members wondering if certain products are gluten-free.  We recently wrote about how Claritin is gluten-free and safe for people with celiac disease. That answer brought more questions about generic equivalents, such as Is Costco or Kirkland Generic Claritin. 

Is Costco or Kirkland Generic Claritin Gluten-Free? Costco's generic version of Claritin is Kirkland Signature AllerClear. While Kirkland Signature AllerClear is not labeled as gluten-free, there are no allergens listed on the label. According to Costco, their generic Claritin equivalent, Kirkland Signature brand AllerClear has the same active ingredients as Claritin.

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We previously established that name-brand Claritin products are gluten-free. 

Claritin active ingredients include: Loratadine 5 mg, an antihistamine

Inactive ingredients include: Water, Sodium Benzoate, Glycerin, Edetate Disodium, Maltitol, Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic, Phosphoric Acid, Sorbitol, Sucralose

Costco is famous for sourcing their Kirkland brands products from major manufacturers.

Costco Generic Claritin/Kirkland Signature AllerClear active ingredients include: Loratadine 10 mg, an antihistamine.

So, the Costco version is twice as strong, but otherwise the same. The difference lies in inactive ingredients. Costco's Inactive ingredients include: Lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, povidone, pregelitanized starch.

Again, there are no known allergens listed among the Costco ingredients. Remember, any gluten-containing ingredients must be listed. And the starch is gluten-free, by definition. 

While not labeled as gluten-free, the Costco Claritin equivalent is unlikely to contain gluten, and thus likely safe for people with celiac disease.

As always, read labels, choose carefully, and listen to your gut.