UK Grocery Sales Fall 0.4% Amid Surge in Weight-Loss Drug Use

The rapid rise in the use of weight-loss drugs containing GLP-1, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, is significantly altering consumer food purchasing habits in both the U.S. and the U.K., leading to declines in grocery sales. In Britain, grocery sales volumes fell by 0.4% year-on-year—the first decline this year—as four percent of households now include at least one GLP-1 drug user, nearly doubling from last year. Users of these drugs report plans to reduce consumption of chocolates, crisps, biscuits, and other calorie-dense, processed foods, contributing to shifts in supermarket product demand. Research indicates that GLP-1 adoption leads to a reduction in grocery spending by households, with higher-income groups cutting back more substantially. The growing market for these medications, projected to be worth up to $150 billion by the decade's end, underscores the transformative impact on the food retail sector, which must adapt product offerings and communications to thrive. This trend is driven by younger consumers and fueled by recent NHS approvals in the U.K. and promising clinical developments in oral GLP-1 treatments.