Global gluten-free product sales to surpass $3 billion by 2015

NEW YORK — The gluten-free products market continues to grow at a rapid pace, according to a Euromonitor International forecast.

The research firm projected that 2011 gluten-free sales of $1.31 billion in the United States, more than doubling since 2005. Additionally, global sales of gluten-free items are expected to total $2.67 billion for the year, Euromonitor International said.

By 2015, U.S. gluten-free product sales are expected to garner $1.68 billion, with sales reaching $3.38 billion globally.

"Consumers do feel some sort of reward when they eat gluten-free products. They don't feel bloated. They don't have belly aches. This usually encourages them to repeat the purchase," Euromonitor International's head of health and wellness research Ewa Hudson said.