Steep Decline In Pasta Sales Traced To Consumer Aversions To Carbs, Gluten

The pasta industry is taking a beating from two major food industry “avoidance” trends: carbs and gluten. Consumers globally are convinced carbs, not fats, are the cause of the obesity epidemic. They are also convinced that gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, is to blame for many maladies, beginning with the fairly rare celiac disease. Protein-rich and filling grains like quinoa, and other alternatives to pasta, are filling the void. The result: sales of dried pasta in North America have slid six percent since 2009; in the U.S. is expected to continue for another four years. The same trend is found in Australia and Europe. Even in Italy, dried pasta sales have plummeted 25 percent since 2009. The pasta industry is fighting back with gluten-free and high-protein varieties. But it will be a long, uphill fight.