Insight Focus
GLP-1 drugs are becoming easier to access in the UK, France and the USA. New research shows that those who stop using tend to regain weight, but not all the way to their pre-treatment level. PWC report reduced spending on snacks, confectionary and soda among GLP-1 users.
GLP-1 Access Improves Further
The UK has become the first country in Europe to approve a GLP-1 weight loss pill. From July 2026, Wegovy tablets are available for weight management in adults with a BMI greater than 30 or a BMI greater than 27 plus at least one weight-related condition. Patients can now opt for a daily pill instead of weekly injections, which is good news for those with a needle phobia. Unlike the jabs, the pills don’t need refrigeration either. To begin with, Wegovy pills are only available through private purchase and not for free on the National Health Service.
In France, Wegovy and Mounjaro will now be reimbursed for patients with a BMI greater than 40 or a BMI greater than 35 with comorbidities. The state will cover 65% of the purchase price, leaving patients needing to spend around 100 euros per month for the drugs. Around 4 million people in France meet the criteria for the reimbursement, which also opens the door for Wegovy pill approval in due course.
Meanwhile, in the US, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is running a pilot program from July 2026 which will give some Medicaid beneficiaries access to cheaper GLP-1 drugs. Under the bridge program, the GLP-1 drugs will cost around USD 50/month even though they are technically excluded from Medicare coverage for obesity. The program will run for 18 months, is open to anyone who doesn’t already have GLP-1 coverage under Medicare and who also has a BMI of more than 35, or a BMI of more than 30 with a comorbidity or a BMI of more than 27 plus cardiovascular or metabolic risk.
All three initiatives will increase access to GLP-1 drugs from today.
New Dietary Advice for GLP-1 Users
A new clinical review has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association outlining dietary guidance for GLP-1 patients based on Phase 3 trial evidence.
The authors note GLP-1 drugs lead to reduced hunger and increased satiation, so recommend patients eat a high-protein, nutrient-rich diet to ensure adequate nutrition. High-fat, fried, spicy and sugary foods should be limited, as should alcoholic and carbonated drinks. The authors then recommend that patients follow a high-protein, high-fibre and reduced-calorie diet once they discontinue using GLP-1 drugs, to limit weight regain.
In many ways the recommendations align with what GLP-1 drug users report anyway – that they have a new preference for fresh foods over processed foods (see PWC research below). Nevertheless, the clinical advice is relevant for food and beverage companies grappling with the growth in GLP-1 usage
What Happens When Users Stop?
The JAMA recommendation that GLP-1 users eat a better diet once they discontinue is likely to be hard to follow. After all, the GLP-1 users probably wouldn’t have needed the drugs to begin with if they were able to successfully follow a high-protein and high-fibre diet.
A new literature review of 48 studies from Cambridge University finds that patients who discontinue GLP-1 drugs regain around 60% of the weight lost after one year. The research team’s modelling hints that the weight regain may plateau at 75%.
At first glance this sounds negative. Losing weight is extremely difficult – a fight against thousands of years of human evolution designed to ensure we can survive food scarcity that no longer exists. Many GLP-1 users are therefore likely to be long-term patients, perhaps cycling on and off the drugs. This is not a one-shot cure.
But, looking at the results in reverse, GLP-1 drugs remain miracle medicines. If weight regain plateaus at 75%, this implies users who discontinue might well achieve permanent weight loss. We can think of no other major intervention (except bariatric surgery) which achieves a similar result. This research aligns with previous studies which show only 1 in 5 tirzepatide users had fully regained the weight they’d lost after 2 years.
This is important for food and beverage companies because it shows that GLP-1 drugs are unlikely to cause a collapse in demand for snacks and sodas. Users may resume consumption when they discontinue drugs. How far consumption falls may depend on how frequently users cycle on and off the drugs.
Where Food Demand Shifts
A PwC survey has found that 70% of GLP-1 users reported spending less on snacks and confectionery, while 60% reported spending less on sugary drinks. At the same time, users reported spending more on fresh food, high-protein options, vitamins, supplements, fitness and clothing.
However, PWC also highlighted that 30% of GLP-1 users also traded up to fewer, higher-quality brands. By spending less money on groceries, users seem to be able to increase the amount they spend on the products they do buy: value over volume.
The survey also implied there are as many as 3m GLP-1 users in the UK, which is at the higher end of estimates we’ve seen to date. PWC project that this number could reach 7.4m by 2027, especially if the sales of the Wegovy pill in the UK are successful.
