Well, obviously because it's a limited market and the companies that produce the food need to make sure that their running costs are met and they don't have as high a turnover as regular brands.  Just supposing though that the companies that produced these foods, manufacter and market them just the same as the larger food companies. Just suppose that Mrs Crimble was as well known and popular as Mr Kipling, surely the costs of these products would fall.

Until that happens though ( as if but it's a nice thought ) carefully check the food that is readily available in your regular supermarket.  If you are wheat-free (as opposed to gluten free) you will still be ok with Ryvitas, Nairns Oatcakes and Kallo Rice Cakes.  Vitalite is dairy and soya free, plus it's now suitable for Vegans, it's a fraction of the cost of the specialist margarines. 

In fact everything that I use in my recipes, with the exception of Xantham Gum, I buy at my local Tesco Store.

I tend to avoid the 'health food' section at Tesco as the prices are up there with the Specialist Diet ranges, but check out the prices in the World Cuisine sections.  You can pick up a 1.5kg bag of Natco Rice Flour for less money than the 1kg of Doves Farm Rice Flour.  Tesco stock many other Natco items in their Indian cuisine section, including chana dal and dried chick peas.  The Natco red split lentils are cheaper than the Tesco own brand and if you use a lot of them you can buy them in a bulk 2kg bag which works out even cheaper.

I was concerned about the effect my special diet was going to have on my families grocery budget, but thankfully a bit of careful research has paid off and we know a variety of regular brands which we can just buy straight off the shelf.

I noticed a couple of nice offers in our Tesco today.  AlproSoya chilled Soya milks are 2 for £2, this is only a small saving on the original flavour one, but  on the chocolate one the saving is over £1.  Also on offer are the Green & Blacks chocolate bars which usually cost £1.28 each, the new Cherry, Ginger and Almond flavours are all dairy-free and are suitable for Vegans.