TL;DR
Walkers crisps are not gluten free. Walkers state this directly on their website. Every flavour is produced in a factory that also handles wheat and gluten, and all packs carry a cross-contamination advisory. No Walkers product carries a gluten free label. For anyone with coeliac disease, Walkers are not recommended by Coeliac UK.
Walkers is the UK’s most popular crisp brand. Naturally, it is also one of the first brands people ask about when switching to a gluten free diet. The answer is unfortunately not the one most people are hoping for.
Walkers do not make gluten free crisps. Not in the plain flavours, not in any flavour. The reason is not about ingredients in the recipe. It is about the factories they are made in.
What Walkers Say on Their Own Website
There is no ambiguity here. On the Walkers FAQ page under Ingredients and Allergens, the question “Are your products gluten free?” is answered with: “No, our crisps are not gluten free.”
That is a direct statement from the manufacturer. It applies to every product in the Walkers range regardless of flavour.
Every Walkers pack also carries an advisory stating the product is made in a factory that handles milk, wheat, gluten, barley, soya, celery and mustard. This advisory appears even on Ready Salted, which contains no gluten ingredients whatsoever in the recipe itself. The issue is not the ingredients. It is the factory.
Why Can’t Walkers Guarantee Gluten Free?
Walkers produces around 11 million bags of crisps per day across its UK factories. Multiple products and flavour seasonings are produced in the same facilities. The flavouring sprays used to season crisps are shared across different varieties, and Walkers has confirmed that it cannot guarantee the equipment is cleaned to a standard that prevents cross-contamination between gluten-containing and non-gluten-containing products.
Under UK food law, a product can only be labelled gluten free if it contains no more than 20 parts per million of gluten. Walkers cannot confirm their products meet this standard and so cannot carry the label. This is not unique to Walkers. It is a manufacturing reality for any large-scale producer making multiple products in shared facilities.
Did Walkers Used to Be Gluten Free?
This catches people out. Before 2012, Walkers labelled certain flavours as “suitable for coeliacs” under older food labelling legislation that permitted products containing up to 200 parts per million of gluten to carry that claim.
When the law changed in 2012, tightening the threshold to 20 parts per million, Walkers removed all coeliac-suitable labelling. The manufacturing process had not changed. The product had not changed. The only thing that changed was the legal standard required to make the claim, which Walkers could no longer meet.
This means anyone who ate Walkers crisps as a coeliac before 2012 and felt fine was eating crisps that may have contained gluten levels above the current legal threshold for gluten free labelling.
Are Any Walkers Flavours Safer Than Others?
Plain flavours like Ready Salted, Salt and Vinegar and Prawn Cocktail contain no gluten ingredients in the recipe. For someone following a gluten free diet by personal preference rather than medical necessity, these flavours are lower risk than flavoured varieties that include wheat-based seasoning ingredients.
However, Walkers themselves do not differentiate between flavours on this point. Their position is that none of their crisps are gluten free, full stop. For anyone with coeliac disease, no Walkers product can be safely recommended based on the manufacturer’s own guidance and Coeliac UK’s position.
What Does Coeliac UK Say?
Coeliac UK does not include Walkers in its Food and Drink Guide, which is its recommended resource for coeliacs identifying safe products. The organisation has previously confirmed that Walkers cannot guarantee their products are suitable for people with coeliac disease, and advises coeliacs to avoid them.
What Gluten Free Crisps Can You Eat Instead?
Plenty of alternatives exist. Several brands specifically produce gluten free crisps and carry the gluten free label, meaning they meet the sub-20ppm standard.
- Kettle Chips — the full Kettle range is labelled gluten free, making them one of the most reliable options
- Pipers Crisps — several varieties are confirmed gluten free
- Tyrrells — multiple flavours carry gluten free labelling
- Hula Hoops Original and Salt and Vinegar — confirmed gluten free. For the full flavour breakdown see our post on whether Hula Hoops are gluten free.
For a full list of verified gluten free options across all the major UK brands, our complete UK guide to gluten free crisps covers everything in detail. If you also need vegan options, our best vegan crisps UK guide flags which vegan crisps are also gluten free.
Quick Summary
- Walkers state directly on their website that their crisps are not gluten free
- All Walkers products are made in factories that handle wheat and gluten
- Every pack carries a may contain wheat and gluten advisory
- Walkers removed coeliac-suitable labelling in 2012 when stricter laws came in
- Coeliac UK does not recommend Walkers for people with coeliac disease
- Gluten free alternatives include Kettle Chips, Pipers, Tyrrells and Hula Hoops Original
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Walkers crisps gluten free?
No. Walkers state on their own website that their crisps are not gluten free. All flavours are produced in factories that handle wheat and gluten, and every pack carries a cross-contamination advisory. No Walkers product carries a gluten free label.
Are Walkers Ready Salted gluten free?
No. Although Walkers Ready Salted contains no gluten ingredients in its recipe, it is made in a factory that also handles wheat and gluten. Walkers cannot guarantee it meets the sub-20ppm standard required for gluten free labelling. It is not suitable for people with coeliac disease.
Can coeliacs eat Walkers crisps?
No. Walkers do not recommend their crisps for people with coeliac disease and Coeliac UK does not list them as suitable. All Walkers products are made in factories where cross-contamination with gluten is possible.
Were Walkers crisps ever gluten free?
Some Walkers flavours used to be labelled suitable for coeliacs under pre-2012 legislation, which allowed products with up to 200ppm gluten to carry that claim. When the law changed to 20ppm in 2012, Walkers removed all coeliac-suitable labelling because they could not guarantee the stricter standard. The manufacturing process had not changed.
What crisps are gluten free in the UK?
Kettle Chips carry gluten free labelling across their full range. Pipers Crisps and Tyrrells also offer several confirmed gluten free flavours. Hula Hoops Original and Salt and Vinegar are gluten free. Always check the pack as recipes can change.
Are Walkers Salt and Vinegar gluten free?
No. Despite the Salt and Vinegar seasoning not containing gluten ingredients, Walkers Salt and Vinegar is produced in a factory that handles gluten. Walkers state that none of their crisps are gluten free and the packs carry a may contain gluten advisory.