Gluten-free Products and Zagreb’s Bakeries

While a capital of Croatia, with a population of over one million, offers a limited number of different gluten-free products, Zagreb’s bakeries do not offer gluten-free products at all. The purpose of this study was to identify the existence of a non-medically motivated demand for gluten-free products in Zagreb’s bakeries and find out what are the motivators driving this demand. This study used an explanatory sequential mixed methods design. Quantitative data collection (through a survey) was followed with a qualitative data collection and analysis (through interviews) which led to the interpretation of results. Survey was conducted on a random sample of 70 respondents, while a qualitative research was conducted by using 10 face-to face semi-structured interviews with individuals who are citizens of Zagreb and who answered positively about buying gluten-free products in Zagreb’s bakeries. The data suggests that a non-medically motivated demand for gluten-free products in Zagreb’s bakeries exist and that main motivators driving this demand are: initiative to try something new and interest in a different (‘healthier’) lifestyle