<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Sue wrote:-

> When I lived in Englnad (in Oxford), I would buy some GF items from
> health food stores, and prepared everything else myself from "scratch."
> I've never tried the GF products available from chemists.  Are they
> worth the trouble and hassle for someone in the country only for a few
> months or a couple of years?  Are they the same as the items in health
> food stores?  Do they cost less than in health food stores?

Dear Sue,

The situation is that a number of items are much more
easily obtainable from a Chemists shop than from most
Health food shops, but there is no particular price
advantage, and you usually have to order in advance.

With experienced shops like the Boots chain this will
usually not take more than a day or so, especially if you
take the time to explain the urgency.  Some of the small
Chemists which are not part of a chain can take up to 10
days! (For the same item).

Health food shops may carry small amounts of GF goods but
will not necessarily be fully aware of all the implications
of a GF diet, so caution may be needed, *especially* if you
are buying materials which have been split and repacked in
that shop.   Having said that, the shop with the biggest
selection of GF foods I have yet seen is Daily Bread in
Northampton, a Christian health food cooperative.

If you obtain the "Food List" from the UK Coeliac Society
GBP3 plus postage outside of the UK, this will give you
lists of GF foods obtainable in ordinary supermarkets and
shops.  The E-mail address for the CS is [log in to unmask]
They have recently got an e-mail address and also have a
Web page with updates for the food list.

Many of the big Supermarket chains will supply their own GF
food list free but this has to be ordered and can take
several days.  It can be a good idea to write for copies to
chains like Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda etc some time before
coming to the UK, as this will start you off easily - you
will have information with you from the start.

Regards

David

David J Walland
University of Bristol Radiation Protection Adviser
[log in to unmask]
Tel +44 (0)117 928 8323
Fax +44 (0)117 929 1209