Insight Focus
In our last update, we reported that GLP-1 uptake was accelerating as the drugs became easier to access. New research suggests that 11% of US adults now use GLP-1 drugs for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024. Food and beverage developers are beginning to respond, creating smaller, nutrient-dense products with more protein and fibre.
GLP-1 Use Reaches a New High
New evidence suggests GLP-1 usage continues to expand quickly. According to a new Gallup survey, 11% of US adults now take GLP-1 drugs specifically for weight loss, up from 3% in 2024. A further 4% have previously used the drugs, taking the total share of adults who have tried them to 15%.
GLP-1 use is not confined to wealthy consumers. A PwC survey of more than 2,300 UK adults found users spread across all income groups. This suggests that cost may be less of a barrier than widely assumed, particularly as access expands through pharmacies and telehealth services and more people receive the drugs through the NHS.
Source: PwC Strategy&, UK Consumer Survey, June 2026. n=181.
Access is also changing in emerging markets, although progress is uneven. In Brazil, prices for some semaglutide doses have been reduced by up to 48% following the end of patent protection. In India, however, Dr. Reddy’s temporarily stopped supplying its generic semaglutide injection after identifying an issue with the active ingredient. The company said products already supplied were unaffected, but the interruption shows that cheaper alternatives will still need to meet the same quality standards as branded drugs.
As GLP-1 usage grows, food companies are starting to think beyond how much GLP-1 users eat and focus on what they want from the food that remains in their diets.
This was a big theme at IFT FIRST 2026, a food science and product-development event held in Chicago in July. According to The Food Institute’s review of the event, ingredient suppliers presented products combining protein and fibre, reflecting demand for greater nutrient density as GLP-1 users eat less.
Examples included high-protein and high-fibre snacks, bread, freezer pops and drinks. Several of these products used stevia or allulose instead of sugar, showing how the growth of GLP-1s is moving demand towards more nutritious, lower sugar products.
The Effect Is Already Visible in Shopping Baskets
The change is already visible in the UK. Research from Worldpanel by Numerator found that the share of British households containing a GLP-1 user rose from 2.3% in 2024 to 6.3% in 2026. These households bought 299 million fewer grocery packs, while their annual grocery spending was £418 lower than comparable non-user households.
Sugar-rich categories are among the most affected. Three-quarters of users said they had reduced their chocolate consumption, while 72% had cut back on crisps. The purchasing data showed the same pattern: chocolate confectionery spending fell 18 percentage points more among GLP-1 user households than among non-user households.
Smaller Portions of Existing Products
GLP-1 users may be eating less, but they’ve not stopped buying their favourite foods. Research presented at IFT FIRST found that around 90% of GLP-1 users still buy ice cream. Industry speakers said this creates an opportunity for manufacturers to offer smaller portions and improve the nutritional content of existing products, rather than developing entirely separate ranges for GLP-1 users.
Source: AMC Global and OpinionRoute (2024), reported by Nutritional Outlook, July 2026
Food companies may therefore be able to retain GLP-1 consumers by adapting familiar products rather than replacing them. However, smaller portions and lower-sugar formulations would still reduce the amount of sugar used in each purchase. GLP-1 users may continue buying indulgent foods, but they are likely to buy less of them.
The value of the GLP-1 market is also increasing competition between drugmakers. Novo Nordisk has sued Eli Lilly, alleging that advertisements used outdated studies to make misleading comparisons between their drugs; Eli Lilly has defended the advertising. The dispute shows how intensely the leading manufacturers are competing as GLP-1 use expands.
