With a post on Facebook, a customer manages to get McDonald's to make a statement about a special product.
She might not like the response from the fast food giant.
Munich - Social media enable consumers to enter into direct dialogue with large corporations.
This was also the case recently, when a customer shared a photo of a happy meal on Facebook that she had probably bought in a Swiss branch.
The special feature: A sticker on the product that makes it clear that it is a gluten-free product.
The customer asked the question in her post: "When will McDonald's do this in Germany?"
The market for gluten-free products in Germany is growing
The market for gluten-free products in Germany is growing.
Almost two million people in Germany regularly buy gluten-free food.
This was the result of a survey by the Allensbacher market and advertising media analysis from 2020. Overall, that is a market share of around 2.7 percent.
It is estimated that only around one percent of the population is affected by an intolerance, the rest buy the products for other reasons.
This type of diet is still a niche, but there still seems to be potential for sales of the products.
McDonald's, however, sees it differently: The group currently sells gluten-free burgers in Austria, the Netherlands and Switzerland.
In Germany, however, the supply is low - and will remain so, as the group has now revealed.
McDonald's reacts: The product is available, but not initially in Germany
A gluten-free happy meal in Germany?
According to McDonald's, this is not planned.
"We know that our product range for guests with gluten intolerance is very small," admits the fast food giant with regard to the product range in Germany on Facebook.
“That's why we keep exchanging ideas with our specialist departments.
Unfortunately we have no news about this at the moment, sorry.
Should that change, we will of course inform you immediately, ”McDonald's continued.
A change in the offer is currently not in sight.
Even though the products already exist.
In 2019, for example, three burgers with gluten-free bread came on the market in Switzerland.
In Germany, customers with an intolerance have the option of ordering the burger without a bun.
In addition, some products do not contain gluten as standard, such as French fries, a small green salad, Caesar and Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad, desserts such as McFlurry Daim and M & Ms, the frappés strawberry and mango passion fruit and the sundaes.
This emerges from a communication from McDonald's Switzerland.
Gluten-free diet without intolerance is pointless
The adhesive protein gluten can cause inflammation of the intestinal mucosa in people with celiac disease. However, many people resort to gluten-free products even without intolerance. That comes from the Gluten Free Monitor 2020. Some seem to feel that these foods are healthier. In fact, some experts advise against consuming gluten-free products without necessity. These are often richer in sugar and fats and therefore contain more calories. In addition, the products are also more expensive due to the more complex production.
