The Rising Intolerance:

Why Allergies Are Being Trivialized and Intolerances Glamorized.

By SOPHIE MEDLIN

Published at Forbes.com | 15 January 2019 |

Image by Getty

In recent months there have been several high profile cases of lethal anaphylaxis (a severe allergic reaction) attributed to some big name companies. Pret a Manger hit the headlines in October 2018 after a 15 year old died on a plane as a result of a severe allergic reaction to sesame, attributed to a Pret sandwich. Another customer died from a Milk Allergy after consuming one of their vegan flatbreads.

In November 2018, two takeaway bosses were jailed over the death of Megan Lee who's allergy to nuts and prawns was not taken seriously.

Hitting the headlines this week is takeaway giant Just-Eat who are accused of putting allergy sufferers at risk by not listing allergens on their app.

Allergy or Intolerance 

Despite this apparent ignorance of the severity of allergies, we seem to constantly be hearing about people cutting out wheat and/or dairy because they are intolerant or allergic and the 'free from' isle in supermarkets is ever expanding to meet this demand.

With public awareness of allergies and intolerances rising and everyone's friend being allergic to gluten, you'd think that the rate of death from anaphylaxis would fall. Unfortunately people are still dying from food allergies at an alarming rate.

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