A new pill-based weight-loss drug is set to double the number of UK adults on GLP-1 medications, bringing with it a significant change in the food, drinks and snacks people buy.
While most weight-loss medications must be taken via weekly injection, the ease-of-use offered by the pill-based Wegovy GLP-1 drug, which was approved by UK regulators this month, will bring with it millions of new users who are subsequently set to usher in a sea change in retail.
Research commissioned by accountancy firm PwC indicates roughly seven million people will be taking GLP-1 drugs by 2027, up from the three million adults today.
That change will bring marked differences in spending habits. Some 75% of people taking GLP-1 medications say they buy fewer snacks, confectionery items and crisps, while 60% report buying more fresh food, and 40% say they purchase more foods based around nutrition and fitness.
PwC says alcohol, snacks, sugary drinks and ready-meals are “most at risk” of declining sales due to the way GLP-1s affect patients’ appetites, with 60% of those on the drugs buying less food overall.
Some 70% of weight-loss patients spend less on snacks and confectionery, 60% buy fewer sugary drinks, and 25% of GLP-1 patients stop buying alcohol altogether, up from a 16% ratio for those not on the drugs.
Conversely, 30% of patients “trade up” to buy higher-quality branded products, with 20% opting for premium own-brands, while 56% buy more fresh produce and 54% spend more on high-protein products.
Some 40% of patients buy more vitamins and supplements compared to before they began taking the drugs, while spending on beauty treatments and products also increases.
PwC advises retailers to “reshape their portfolios” to manage risks, while also innovating with the products they offer customers, considering the whole “GLP-1 ecosystem to claim a bigger share of the profit”.
