ObjectiveHealth literacy levels among the general population predict better health outcomes and uptake of health services. Inequities in health literacy and uptake of health services are often observed in deprived neighborhoods. There is a paucity of data on literacy regarding celiac disease in Kuwait. Therefore, the present survey aims to address this paucity of data.ResultsWe conducted a survey of 350 respondents in six governates of Kuwait. Although around 51% of respondents were aware of peanut allergy and gluten sensitivity, less than 15% were aware of celiac disease. More than 40% of respondents reported that a gluten-free diet should be promoted for everyone. Better awareness regarding CD was associated with Kuwaiti nationality, higher education levels and higher age. Among different governates, residents of Al-Asimah reported the highest awareness levels, while the rest of the governates did not differ significantly. While eating behavior did not significantly predict awareness regarding CD.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-023-06415-x.