Walmart Great Value Brand Moving Away From gluten-free

[JayinUT]

My wife and I have noticed that the Great Value Brand at Walmart is moving many of their product line away from being gluten-free; or at least they are removing the gluten-free label from many of the items in their Great Value Brand that were gluten-free before. We looked on several of the products and they either now contain wheat or are made in facilities that process wheat. So we've decided to move on to other stores that contain more gluten-free items. Anyone else see this?

[taweavmo3]

I noticed it with the soy sauce...I got really sick from it, but the bottle said gluten free. A week later, new label with wheat in the ingredients. I haven't really bought any more Great Value food items since then. That is interesting though....I wonder why the change??

[tiredofbeingsickandtired]

ugggh, I saw this too. The worst new walmart labels are the ones that say "naturally gluten free" then says on the same label "WARNING- may contain wheat"...drives me bonkers!

[hhdavid]

I've also noticed that they are resetting their shelves and not carrying well-known gluten-free items anymore. They took my Gluten Free Pantry brownies away.

[Manboy]

world conspiracy need people to get sick=food posion=hospital=drugs big circle.. or great value was hurting big name companies and got paid off... gluten a poison even for people without celica

[summerteeth]

ugggh, I saw this too. The worst new walmart labels are the ones that say "naturally gluten free" then says on the same label "WARNING- may contain wheat"...drives me bonkers!

WOW - that is absolutely unreal. Is that even legal? I'm not too clear on the laws regarding labeling. If it is legal, then that is just moronic, IMO.

What kind of products at Walmart say that?

[psawyer]

WOW - that is absolutely unreal. Is that even legal? I'm not too clear on the laws regarding labeling. If it is legal, then that is just moronic, IMO.

Yes, it is legal. A discussion of the label regulations, however, is a topic for the Gluten-Free Ingredients & Food Labeling Issues forum--feel free to start one there.

[MKat]

I've also noticed that they are resetting their shelves and not carrying well-known gluten-free items anymore. They took my Gluten Free Pantry brownies away.

My walmart finally had the Betty Crocker mixes. I bought a few, went back 2 days later and they were GONE. I was hoping that would make walmart realize the demand!

[Jonbo]

WOW - that is absolutely unreal. Is that even legal? I'm not too clear on the laws regarding labeling. If it is legal, then that is just moronic, IMO.

What kind of products at Walmart say that?

I think the FDA is still in the debating (or finished it) on their guidelines for labeling a product 'Gluten Free' or some variant of it. So for now, its "legal" even though it seems improper to label something 'Naturally Gluten Free' and then mention possible CC in the ingredients labeling.

[minniejack]

I posted this on another thread. Walmart in Cambridge Ohio had an entire aisle of gluten-free: glutino, enjoy, schars, etc.

I called my 2 local Walmarts and they said they are trying to do the same and that certain Walmarts are test marketing gluten free sections.

I'm sure this is the way that they are all heading so that they won't have their names on the products, but still be able to sell to a huge market.

If Walmart does this, I can't wait. Their prices were so much cheaper than my Kroger and they had so much more--like what you can find at the Whole Foods, but all in one convenient aisle.

Maybe we should start a campaign to get all Walmarts to carry the stuff immediately.

[JayinUT]

Thanks for the replies. Our local Walmarts are just continuing to head in another direction in regards to Gluten Free. Management at the store or district level just says they label their products gluten free that are and leave it at that. So my wife and I have moved on. Bad move on Walmart's part because of the secondary shopping we often did while there. We'll just save the money we spent there on these secondary items now so it is probably a good thing.

[larry mac]

I don't go to Walmart to purchase labeled gluten-free items. I go there to get 99% of my food at low cost. The occasional labeled gluten-free item I want I get at the health food store, and pay the high price they charge for it.

I don't require a gluten-free label on everything. I can read an ingredients list.

best regards, lm

[psawyer]

I don't require a gluten-free label on everything. I can read an ingredients list.

I'm that way too. I read the ingredient list. I know what is safe, what is not, and what to question.

If the ingredient is uncertain, I check the labeling policy of the manufacturer. There are a lot of companies that have a clear gluten disclosure policy. If you don't see wheat, rye, barley, or oat named on the labels, they are just not there. Even if flavors, modified food starch, seasonings, etc., are listed, the will not contain hidden gluten. These companies are understanding and supportive of our needs, and are deserving of our business.

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[nocommente]

The problem is, they are changing so many of their products say "may contain wheat."

So corn chips are labeled as made with "Corn, Oil, and Salt...May contain wheat."

Does this mean, made in a factory that also uses wheat? Does this mean, they sprinkle wheat on the conveyor belt to prevent sticking? There's no way of knowing.

[psawyer]

Does this mean, they sprinkle wheat on the conveyor belt to prevent sticking?

If anybody has a documented instance of this actually happening anywhere, please share it with us. I have never seen one, and do not believe that there is any truth in this rumor. Wheat is not an effective anti-stick substance. Cellulose is commonly used because it is cheaper and more effective. It is gluten-free.

If they sprinkled the belts with wheat, they would not be able to say "may contain wheat." They would be required by law to say "contains wheat." There would be no "may" about it.

"May contain" is a warning about possible cross contact, and may refer to shared equipment, or dedicated lines in a plant that also processes products contained the named ingredient.

[larry mac]

There are many store brand items I don't think suffer a loss of quality over name brands. Canned peas for instance. Chips and cereals are not on that list. IMO, they super suck.

I'm looking at a bag of Fritos. The ingredients are:

"Whole Corn, Corn Oil, and Salt. No Preservatives."

Sounds good, looks good, and tastes good.

best regards, lm

[Heidi S.]

I think since the new legislation has gone into effect as of April 2008 that the Walmart brand was never very strict on the gluten. Now my items say "may contain wheat contaminates" etc. No dedicated lines or suppliers so they are trying to cover their butts. I guess we just have to take some chances for generic brands and eliminate if certain products give us problems. They are about cost/convenience not health. You pay more at health stores but get more guarantees. Due to money I am still going to try them and use them at my own caution.