Gluten-free supermarket shopping abroad: where to look and how to read the pack

Most countries have gluten-free food in supermarkets; the trick is knowing where it’s shelved and which words to look for.

Supermarket guides by country: Germany · Italy · UK

Where to look

• A dedicated free-from or health shelf, often near the bread, the baby food or the organic section.
• Larger supermarkets on the edge of town usually carry more than small shops in the centre.
• Pharmacies: in some countries, gluten-free bread, pasta and biscuits are sold there as well as, or instead of, in supermarkets.
• Naturally gluten-free basics are everywhere: rice, potatoes, corn tortillas, plain yoghurt, cheese, eggs, fruit and vegetables.

Reading the pack in another language

• Learn the local words for “gluten-free”, “wheat”, “barley”, “rye” and “malt”. Our translation cards list them.
• In the EU and UK, cereals containing gluten are highlighted in the ingredient list, even when you can’t read the rest.
• Look for the crossed-grain symbol or a gluten-free claim; “may contain” notes are voluntary and tell you less.
• Outside the EU, rules differ: in the US, barley and rye aren’t mandatory allergens, so a gluten-free label is the clearest sign.

What to bring

Enough for the first day or two: bread or crackers, a few snacks and something for breakfast, so the first shop isn’t under pressure.

Staying somewhere with only a microwave and a kettle? Here’s a 3-day gluten-free meal plan for rooms without a kitchen.

Keep reading

• How to read an EU gluten-free label
• What the crossed-grain symbol means
• Translation cards
• Label Lab: check an ingredient list
• Gluten-free supermarkets in Germany: chains, own brands and 45 labelled products
• Gluten-free supermarkets in Italy: 10 chains, own brands and 53 labelled products
• Gluten-free supermarkets in the UK: 9 chains, own brands and 46 labelled products

Built from the questions our community asks most, and from our label, fryer and cross-contact guides. Sources: EU Regulation 1169/2011 (allergens emphasised in the ingredient list), EU Regulation 828/2014 (gluten-free = 20 mg/kg or less), the US Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act and the FDA gluten-free labeling rule. Last checked: 28 September 2026. We inform, we don’t diagnose: for medical questions, your doctor or dietitian has the last word.