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To chime in the comments of Ayn, Karen, and Kit--I think even though there are many more people with celiac and gluten sensitivities or folks who choose a gluten-free diet, we're still a small part of the market pie. It's grown tremendously, but compared to the general, unspecialized markets, the volumes of production are lower with gluten-free products, and therefore the cost to produce and distribute the product is much higher. I'm sure there is some markup because it is a specialty diet, but I think Kit would be right in estimating that ingredient cost for manufacturers is higher (many times they use organic or healthier ingredients in many of the gf mixes too) and they pay a higher cost for their small volume ingredient purchases compared to mainstream bread, mix, etc. makers. We also insist for our safety on production facilities that are dedicated to gluten-free production and that is a major cost. They have to test products in ways other manufacturers probably don't need to consider. I too balk at the price of an $8 cake mix, but I rarely buy them either. I make fewer and fewer breads, cakes, etc. and eat more lean meats, whole grains, veggies, etc. and it's better for my health. (I've developed so many other food allergies beyond gluten that I can't eat 90% of the mixes and products out there anymore anyway.)

I've had celiac for more than 40 years and I knew celiac at a time when the concept of buying rice flour, let alone a cake mix or a loaf of gf bread from the local grocery store or health food market was unthinkable. My mother used to buy whole white rice in bulk and every six months we would take a small electric grinder and grind my rice flour several times over the course of a week to make it fine enough in texture for baked goods. There were few recipe books at that time and the recipes there were were mostly terrible tasting. My mother became an experimenter in the kitchen and developed many of her own recipes for me. Many people are used to the conveniences they once had prior to a celiac diagnosis and I completely understand that, but sometimes we need to be thankful there are even the options and the variety there is today for all of us--even if we can't buy those items on a regular basis because of cost. 

Liz 
Boise, ID

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