Britain’s love affair with the weight loss jab is rewriting the nation’s shopping list, and supermarkets are counting the cost. New figures from Worldpanel by Numerator reveal that grocery spending among households using GLP-1 medication has fallen by £780 million, with 299 million fewer packs passing through the tills.
The research, now in its third year and drawing on responses from more than 11,500 households, shows that 6.3 per cent of households in Great Britain now include at least one current user of drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, up sharply from 4.1 per cent in 2025 and 2.3 per cent in 2024. That equates to 1.9 million adults currently on weight loss medication, a near-tripling in just two years.
For the grocery trade, already navigating stubborn food inflation and a fierce promotional battle for cost-conscious shoppers, the numbers represent a structural shift rather than a passing fad. User households are spending £418 less than their non-user counterparts, and the casualties are exactly where you would expect: three-quarters of users (75 per cent) say they are cutting back on chocolate and 72 per cent on crisps. Their receipts bear this out, chocolate confectionery spend among user households has fallen 18 percentage points further than among non-users since starting treatment.
Chantel Kennaugh, head of public sector and nutrition, GB at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “What was once a specialised treatment, primarily prescribed for type 2 diabetes, has in just a few short years become a mainstream force. Now, 68 per cent of users are taking GLP-1s specifically to lose weight, opening them up to a much wider audience.
“These drugs are fundamentally disrupting how people engage with food and drink, with ripple effects already being felt across grocery and lifestyle, forcing brands and businesses to adapt at pace.”
The profile of the typical user is also shifting. Women account for 77 per cent of current users, against 23 per cent for men, and over a quarter of respondents (26 per cent) said they would take GLP-1 medication to lose weight even without a major health issue, a marked move away from purely medical motivations. That sits in contrast to the NHS, which continues to restrict prescribing to patients meeting strict clinical criteria, leaving most users to fund treatment privately.
Which is where the squeeze comes in. Price has re-emerged as the biggest barrier to staying the course, just as it was in 2024, displacing last year’s chief complaint of side effects. Four in ten (41 per cent) of those who were taking the medication have stopped in 2026 because it was simply too expensive, little surprise given that UK list prices for Mounjaro rose by as much as 170 per cent last autumn after pressure from Washington on drugmakers.
The disruption is not uniformly bad news for the trade. Users are managing side effects through more considered purchasing, and some categories are enjoying a measurable windfall. ‘Ozempic mouth’ — the dry mouth and bad breath that commonly accompany the drugs, is driving a 20 percentage point uplift in mouthwash spend and a 24 percentage point rise in chewing gum confectionery among user households compared with non-users.
Behaviour at the table is changing too. Over half of users (54 per cent) report fewer cravings and less ‘food noise’, while one in ten (11 per cent) say they no longer enjoy their old favourites. More than half (52 per cent) now describe their eating as mindful, guided by hunger cues rather than habit or routine.
Their expectations of food businesses are evolving accordingly: two-fifths (40 per cent) want smaller portion sizes on menus and over a quarter (26 per cent) want dedicated GLP-1 friendly menu sections. Analysis by The Grocer has warned that brands which fumble their response risk a ‘Kodak moment’ as the small-appetites economy takes hold.
Nishita Pattni, senior consultant at Worldpanel by Numerator, said: “The picture ahead is complex. While 72 per cent believe GLP-1 medications are being adopted too quickly without sufficient understanding of their long-term effects, growth shows no sign of slowing.
“Rising adoption in markets like the US, combined with continued innovation, points to even faster uptake. As these drugs reshape user needs, consumers will increasingly look to retailers and manufacturers for support and guidance.”
