Alcohol, snack industries take hit as weight loss drugs drive healthier shopping trends: Study

Ninety-seven percent of shoppers reduced their grocery spending after taking GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1) medication, a recent study shows, and alcohol and processed foods are two of several areas taking a hit.

Data from analytics firm Grocery Doppio's "State of Digital Grocery Performance Scorecard" found that shoppers who used popular drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound for weight loss not only purchased fewer food items, but they also swapped out bad foods for healthier alternatives, according to The New York Post.

On the winning end, lean proteins, meal replacements, healthy snack alteratives, whole fruits and vegetables and energy drinks comprised the top five, with lean meat seeing the most significant purchase increase at +27%, the Post reported.

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On the contrary, data indicates shoppers opted less for starchy, sugary and processed goods, with snacks and confectionery makers taking the hardest hit at a -52% decline. 

Prepared baked goods (-47%), soda and sugary beverages (-28%), alcoholic beverages (-17%) and processed foods (-13%) also saw measurable declines.

GLP-1 users' grocery spending declined an overall total of 11%, a change presumably creditable to the drugs' appetite-suppressing effects and one that could lead major brands to look for ways to appeal to customers focused on weight loss goals.

Food giant Nestlé recently launched a line of products to appeal to GLP-1 users, with nutrient-dense and portion-controlled products, including frozen meals like frozen pastas, sandwich melts and pizzas.

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Other companies also homed in on opportunities to cash in on the GLP-1 craze, including Kellogg's, who recently released a duo of healthier plant-based cereals called "Eat Your Mouth Off" that are richer in protein and have no added sugar.

GLP-1 drugs, or glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, mimic the actions of the naturally-occurring GLP-1 hormone that controls hunger, manages blood sugar and insulin and helps manage metabolism. 

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Originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic garnered attention and saw massive amounts of off-label use for its slimming side effect and to treat other endocrinological conditions such as polycystic ovarian syndrome, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance and prediabetes. Its stronger counterpart, Wegovy, received FDA approval for obesity treatment in 2021.

Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, a first-in-class GLP-1/GIP (glucose-dependent Insulinotropic polypeptide) receptor agonist drug was also initially used to treat type 2 diabetes, but was FDA approved to be sold for obesity treatment under the name Zepbound in late 2023.

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