Insight Focus
GLP-1 access and use continue to expand. A second daily GLP-1 pill has launched in UK pharmacies, while new research shows how the drugs are changing food choices in India and influencing restaurant menus in the US. These developments suggest the effect on food demand is spreading across more markets and eating occasions.
Another Daily Pill Launches in the UK
Another daily GLP-1 pill has launched in UK pharmacies. Orforglipron, sold under the brand name Foundayo, became available through private prescription on August 24 after receiving approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency earlier in the month.
Developed by Eli Lilly, Foundayo is approved for adults with a body mass index above 30, or between 27 and 30 with at least one weight-related condition. It can also improve blood sugar levels in some patients with type 2 diabetes. Unlike some other oral GLP-1 treatments, it can be taken at any time without food or water restrictions.
Foundayo is the UK’s second oral GLP-1 weight-loss treatment, following Wegovy tablets in June. Both are initially available privately, although Eli Lilly is working with NICE on possible NHS access in England. The additional pill could widen uptake among people who cannot or do not want to use injections.
Meanwhile, Novo Nordisk reported extremely strong initial sales of Wegovy (oral semaglutide). In its first three weeks it had captured around 16% of the UK’s obesity drug market. The Wegovy pill is now set to launch in Germany on September 1 and in Mexico in the coming quarter.
GLP-1 Use Changes Food Choices in India
New research suggests that the effects of GLP-1 drugs on food demand are also becoming visible in India. IFF surveyed users in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru and found that smaller appetites were changing portion sizes, food choices and social eating.
Participants reported large reductions in portions of common foods. Typical consumption fell from three or four chapatis to one or two, from five or six idlis to two, and from around two and a half bowls of rice to half a bowl. However, users continued to value taste and eating experiences even as portions became smaller.
The changes also went beyond portion size. 74% said they read food labels more carefully after starting treatment, while 64% experienced discomfort around social eating at least occasionally. 69% chose coconut water as part of their hydration habits. The survey does not represent all Indian consumers because it focused on GLP-1 users in three large cities, but it provides useful early evidence of how the drugs could affect food demand in the country.
Source: IFF, Inside the India GLP-1 Consumer Journey, August 2026. Research among GLP-1 users in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The findings suggest that GLP-1 users are not simply eating less. They are paying more attention to what they eat and placing greater value on nutrition, hydration and ingredient quality. For food companies, this creates opportunities for smaller products that still provide a satisfying eating experience.
US Restaurants Respond to Smaller Appetites
The response from food companies is also moving beyond packaged products. Several US restaurant businesses are now promoting menu choices aimed specifically at GLP-1 users.
Smoothie King offers GLP-1 menu items containing between 19g and 45g of protein, no added sugar and between 190 and 450 calories. Chipotle is promoting high-protein bowls and salads, while Shake Shack offers some burgers in lettuce wraps. These businesses are responding with more protein, fewer calories and flexible portions rather than developing completely unfamiliar foods.
This builds on the product developments covered in our July update. At that stage, ingredient suppliers were presenting smaller, higher-protein and higher-fibre packaged foods. Similar changes are now appearing on restaurant menus, suggesting that the GLP-1 response is spreading across a wider range of eating occasions.
The Effect Extends Beyond Individual Users
The potential effect on food demand may be larger than the number of people taking the drugs. New Boston Consulting Group research, based on a survey of more than 1,500 GLP-1 users across nine markets, found that 70% said their behavioural changes extended to other members of their households. BCG estimates that this makes the potential consumer market affected by GLP-1 use around 50% larger than a calculation based only on individual users.
The research also found that users were not necessarily reducing total food spending. Instead, some were moving towards healthier or more premium products. This is consistent with our previous analysis: lower food volumes do not always produce an equal reduction in spending, because consumers may spend more on each remaining product.
This household effect is important for food companies. A person taking a GLP-1 drug may influence shared grocery purchases, restaurant choices and meals prepared for the rest of the household. Food demand could therefore change even among people who have never taken the drugs themselves.
