My 8 year old son, who has both coeliac disease and autism, absolutely adored the Woolworth's 'Free From Gluten' brand fruitless hot cross buns.

Quite simply, and without any exaggeration, they were his favourite food in the whole wide world and were not just a seasonal treat for him - in the past we have frozen large quantities (in the range of 60-70 packets! [thank you spare freezers]) so that he could enjoy them all year round, until Easter rolled around again and we could restock. This was in addition to the dozens and dozens of packets we would purchase from Woolworths to eat fresh in the lead up to Easter. 

He was devastated when he found out that Woolworths were not stocking this item in 2024 or 2025, to the point that as the years was nearing an end he would role-play at home walking into a Woolworths store and imagining finding them again, and how happy his reaction would be. I am dreading telling him that, despite our family submitting numerous requests to Woolworths throughout 2024 and 2025, the item has again been omitted for 2026, replaced by the apple & cinnamon variety.

My son's conditions present unique dietary challenges, one of them being a sensitivity to certain food textures and tastes which makes it impossible for him to enjoy other varieties of gluten free hot cross buns available at Woolworths, or other stores - the texture and taste make him gag. Feedback on gluten-free and coeliac social media forums also indicates that the free from gluten fruitless hot cross buns were a much loved comfort food by a vast number of families across Australia, particularly those who also have fructose intolerance.

It must be emphasized that coeliac disease affects one in every hundred people in Australia, according to the Coeliac Australia ("The Value of Diagnosis," Coeliac Australia Impact Report, 2019). As mentioned above, some coeliacs also have fructose intolerance, or have additional food sensitivities, meaning that simply buying another variety or brand of gluten free hot cross bun is not an option for them. Being able to access suitable foods is not merely a matter of preference, but a crucial health requirement for them. With this, we strongly believe reintroducing the 'Free From Gluten' brand fruitless hot cross buns into Woolworths will positively impact many lives, not just my son's.

Providing equal access to a broad range of food options for everyone should be at the core of Woolworth's mission. We ask Woolworths to take people with dietary needs into account, and bring back the 'Free From Gluten' fruitless hot cross buns to their shelves. By doing this, Woolworths won't just be making one young boy very very happy, but will be significantly improving the shopping experience for many. 

Please sign our petition, and show your support.