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GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic are not just shrinking waistlines – they’re reshaping appetites and shaking up the food and beverage industry. From smaller portions to nutrient-dense products, comapnies must rethink indulgence, innovation and education if they want to stay relevant. Tom Ellis, CEO and co-owner at Brand Genetics, explains how these drugs are disrupting consumption and what’s next for producers.

By 2030, around 7% of the US population could be using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. These medications, which work by suppressing appetite and reducing food intake, are expected to reach 24 million users in the US alone by 2035. In the UK, demand is also rising rapidly. The market for GLP-1 medications is projected to more than triple over the next six years, growing from an estimated £180 million in 2024 to over £575 million by 2030.

These drugs are not just reshaping waistlines – they are reshaping consumption itself. Appetite, once the bedrock of demand, is no longer a constant. For a growing segment of people, hunger is biologically reduced, cravings are muted and food is no longer front of mind.

This isn’t just another health trend or diet fad. The F&B industry needs to pay close attention.

Appetite suppression is now a commercial disruptor

The early data is already painting a clear picture. Walmart has reported a slight pullback in overall basket sizes amongst shoppers taking GLP-1 medications – within six months of using the drug, households with at least one user cut their grocery spending by about 6%. The reductions were most significant in calorie-dense, processed items like chips, with increases in nutrient-dense items like yogurt and fresh produce.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley forecast a 3%-4% drop in consumption of snacks, soft drinks and alcohol in markets where these drugs are gaining ground – a direct implication for categories built on volume, impulse or emotional reward.

While restraint is behavioural in traditional dieting, GLP-1 drugs dampen cravings and slow gastric emptying, with users often reporting feeling full quicker or losing interest in food altogether. Emotional and habitual eating, once major consumption drivers, are fundamentally reduced.

From indulgence to intention

This rewiring of consumption is reshaping people’s relationship with food. Brands that previously relied on portion size, high-frequency snacking or sensory indulgence will increasingly find themselves out of step with a growing segment of biologically reprogrammed consumers.

Understanding this shift requires going deeper than trend analysis. What we are seeing with GLP-1 users is a transformation in the underlying architecture of behaviour. By decoding this behaviour through three key lenses – drivers, enablers and abilities – brands can go beyond surface-level analysis and into the psychological roots of decision-making.

Drivers: What motivates the shift

We identified three key motivations emerging from GLP-1 users:

Empowerment and control

Many describe the most significant change as the silencing of constant preoccupation with meals and cravings, replaced by a sense of control. This shift is supported by research indicating that GLP-1 receptor agonists can delay gastric emptying and glucose absorption, promoting greater satiety between meals.

Health security

GLP-1s are a preventative treatment for long-term health management, not just weight loss. Novo Nordisk’s Select trial showed that semaglutide reduced the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events by 20% in adults with overweight or obesity.

Esteem and status

GLP-1 use is closely tied to appearance, with many users reporting increased confidence after weight loss on social media and online communities, with studies linking weight loss to improved psychological well-being and self-esteem.

Enablers: What accelerates or inhibits adoption

GLP-1 usage is not evenly distributed (yet) as access and affordability remain major barriers. The UK has tightly rationed access through public systems; the NHS only funds Wegovy for people with a BMI ≥30 and comorbidities, and only through specialist weight loss programmes (~35,000 slots for over 3 million eligible).

Telehealth platforms are accelerating access by providing direct-to-consumer services and bypassing traditional gatekeepers. However, supply is sometimes less limiting than affordability – even when available, many can't justify the cost.

Cultural acceptance is also accelerating. High-profile endorsements from public figures – such as Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey – along with a surge in online communities, have helped reduce stigma and increase social acceptance. While medical organisations – including the NHS – now call obesity a treatable condition, rather than a personal failing.

Abilities: Consumers’ skills and knowledge

Perhaps the most disruptive aspect of GLP-1 drugs is how they remove the ability – and desire – to overeat. Appetite suppression is neurologically enforced, reducing not just volume but interest in many common foods.

Brands cannot outmarket satiety. Instead, they will need to rethink the very foundations of what and how they offer.

The physiological effects don’t stop with appetite. Many GLP-1 users also experience side effects – including nausea, digestive discomfort and fatigue. As a result, they tend to avoid rich, greasy, spicy or carbonated foods and beverages, even if they once enjoyed them. This creates new product design requirements: foods and drinks must not only be appealing but also easy on the stomach.

Alongside these physiological changes, there is also a growing knowledge gap. With appetite cues reduced, many users report not knowing how much or what to eat. Some unintentionally under-eat or miss out on key nutrients, leading to issues like fatigue or muscle loss – a concern increasingly echoed by clinicians. In online forums and social media groups, users are actively seeking advice, tips and food recommendations, highlighting a significant lack of formal support.

This presents a clear opportunity for food and beverage brands to step in – not just with products, but with guidance. High-protein, portion-controlled, nutrient-dense offerings designed specifically for GLP-1 users could become the new staples. Crucially, education about what to eat, how often and why will become part of the product experience itself. Brands that help people feel informed and in control will earn trust and loyalty.

Over time, many GLP-1 users also become highly intentional shoppers. With their hunger no longer steering decisions, they begin to take a more calculated, label-conscious approach to consumption. These aren’t just aspirational health consumers; they are pragmatists responding to physiological feedback. Traditional 'better-for-you' branding may not be enough – they want clear, evidence-backed benefits that support how their bodies now work.

Key implications for brands: Strategies must change

Brands willing to respond to this appetite shift with insight and innovation will lead the way.

Three shifts stand out:

• Portion is the new battleground: As people eat less, they expect more from every bite. Smaller, nutrient-dense formats will define the next phase of product development.

• Indulgence needs a rethink: Emotional eating is being replaced by intentional eating. Messaging that leans on satisfaction, simplicity and control will resonate more than cues around craving or reward.

• New needs create new categories: The demand is growing for new food categories that are high in protein, gentle on digestion and easy to integrate into new routines. Functional drinks, satiety aids and educational tools all have a role to play.

Brands that adapt to new preferences will be best placed to stay relevant in a reshaped landscape.

The challenge is clear, so is the opportunity. Appetite has changed. Now strategies must too.