GLP-1 therapies for the treatment of obesity, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, are not only affecting body mass, but are changing customers’ relationships to food and transforming the food and beverage industries.
More and more people are switching to smaller portions and products with higher nutritional value, so manufacturers are forced to redefine the concept of enjoyment and how they communicate with the market.
Tom Ellis, CEO and co-owner of Brand Genetics, noted how drugs are changing consumption patterns and what implications this could have for the future of the sector.
Estimates so far indicate that by 2030, approximately 7% of the United States population could be using some form of GLP-1 therapy such as Ozempic and Wegovy.
These drugs work by suppressing appetite and reducing total caloric intake, and it is expected that the number of users in the US could reach 24 million by 2035.
A similar trend is emerging in the United Kingdom, where demand is growing rapidly. It is estimated that the market value of GLP-1 therapies would triple in the next six years (from around $180 million in 2024 to over $575 million by 2030.
However, their importance goes beyond economic indicators. These drugs change the very structure of demand.
Appetite, which was a stable basis of consumption, is a variable category. Among many users, there is a decrease in hunger, a reduced desire for food, and a less central role for meals in everyday life.
This phenomenon cannot be seen as a short-term trend or another dietary wave. This mechanism is nevertheless a structural change that requires the industry to strategically adapt to new consumer behavior patterns.
Appetite Suppression is Now a Commercial Disruptor
Market indicators already confirm that the changes are not marginal. Walmart reported a decrease in average shopping cart value among consumers using GLP-1 therapy. Already in the first six months of using the drug, families with at least one user reduced food costs by about 6%.
The decline in consumption is most pronounced in energy-rich, highly processed products, including snacks and similar items intended for impulsive consumption. On the other hand, there is growing interest in higher-nutrition products, including dairy products and fresh foods.
Markets where GLP-1 therapies are gaining traction could see a 3%-4% decline in consumption of snacks, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages, according to Morgan Stanley analysts. These predictions could have significant implications for categories that traditionally rely on high sales volume, frequent purchases, and emotionally motivated consumption.
The key difference from classic diet regimens lies in the mechanism of action. Restriction is mainly the result of voluntary restraint, while GLP-1 therapies alter the physiological regulation of hunger.
This therapy works by reducing the intensity of food cravings and slowing stomach emptying, leading to a faster feeling of satiety and reduced interest in extra calories. Consequently, emotional eating patterns have long been a strong demand generator in the food sector, but are now losing intensity and frequency.
From Indulgence to Intention
This change in consumption not only affects the amount of food purchased but also alters how individuals experience food on a daily basis. Brands that have built their growth on larger portions, impulse purchases, and strong sensory pleasure could find themselves out of step with a segment of consumers whose appetites have been pharmacologically altered. As the biological signals of hunger are silenced, traditional ways of consumption lose their power.
Understanding this shift requires much more than standard trend analyses. In users of GLP-1 therapy, there is a restriction of behavior, the hierarchy of motives, the intensity of desire, and thinking about food changes. In other words, the choice that has shaped consumer habits until now is being transformed.
If brands want to respond to these changes, they must examine behavior through three analytical dimensions: drivers (what initiates the need), facilitating factors (what enables the behavior), and individual characteristics (the capacity to implement a decision).
Such a framework enables the transition from superficial monitoring of consumer trends to a deeper understanding of psychological mechanisms.
Drivers: What Motivates the Shift
In the analyses of the behavior of users of GLP-1 therapy, three dominant dimensions are distinguished that go beyond the reduction of body mass:
Empowerment and Control
One of the most common changes is the disappearance of the mental noise associated with food. Users describe a sense of freedom from constant urges, meal planning, and the struggle with food cravings. In place of the burden comes the perception of personal autonomy and stability in decision-making.
This subjective sense of control has a clear biological basis. GLP-1 receptor agonists affect satiety regulation by slowing gastric emptying and altering glucose absorption, lengthening the intervals between hunger episodes.
This reduces impulsivity in eating, and behavior is less reactive and more deliberate. Control is not solely the result of voluntary effort, but a consequence of altered physiological signaling.
Health Security
User motivation is increasingly based on long-term health risk management, rather than aesthetic transformation. GLP-1 therapies are perceived as tools for preventive action and for preserving metabolic stability. It is a health security strategy, not just an intervention in body mass.
The Select clinical trial, conducted by Novo Nordisk, showed that the use of Semaglutide was associated with a 20% reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events in obese adults. Such data further strengthen the therapy as a long-term investment in health stability and reduction of future complications.
Esteem and Status
The third dimension concerns the therapy’s psychosocial effects. Body mass reduction is accompanied by changes in self-perception, self-confidence, and perception of identity. In digital groups and social networks, users report an increased self-esteem and a greater sense of social acceptance.
Scientific research links weight loss with improved psychological well-being and a more positive self-image. In this context, GLP-1 therapies not only affect physiological parameters, but also the experience of identity; they affect how individuals value themselves and how they believe others perceive them.
Enablers: What Accelerates or Inhibits Adoption
The application of GLP-1 therapies is unevenly distributed due to structural limitations in availability and financial affordability. In the UK, access is tightly controlled through the public health framework.
The NHS approves Wegovy funding only for patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 and comorbidities, exclusively through specialized weight-reduction programs.
The capacity of those programs is limited to approximately 35,000 places, while the number of persons who formally meet the criteria exceeds three million. This disparity clearly indicates the gap between the clinical indication and the real availability of therapy.
At the same time, the development of telehealth platforms is changing access dynamics. Direct provider-to-consumer models let users bypass traditional institutional filters speed up access to therapy.
However, even when regulations are not an obstacle, finances remain a key limiting element. Long-term costs often exceed the average household’s budget. Market availability, therefore, does not guarantee widespread adoption.
In parallel with these structural changes, a cultural transformation is unfolding. Public support for figures such as Elon Musk and Oprah Winfrey has helped normalize the public sphere. Social networks further accelerate this, creating space to share perceptions of obesity treatment.
Medical organizations, including the NHS, are increasingly taking the view that obesity is a chronic, complex, and therapeutically manageable condition rather than a matter of individual weakness.
The shift in the institutional narrative has profound consequences: it changes social discourse, reduces stigma, and solidifies the legitimacy of a therapeutic approach to long-term weight management.
Abilities: Consumers’ skills and Knowledge
One of the most radical effects of GLP-1 therapy is that it takes away from users the physical need and psychological desire to overeat. Appetite is neurologically modulated, meaning that not only is the amount of food intake reduced, but also the interest in high-calorie foods.
In such an environment, brands can no longer “override” saturation with standard marketing. Instead, they must modify the basic principles of their offer, including how the product is formulated, the flavors highlighted, and how consumption is shaped.
These changes are necessary to remain relevant to consumers whose biological signals increasingly dictate food choices.
Physiological effects of therapy do not end with appetite. Users often report side effects such as nausea, digestive disturbances, and feeling tired, which is why they avoid rich, fatty, spicy, or carbonated foods and drinks. This sets new requirements for product design. Food and drinks must be attractive, gentle on the stomach, easily digestible, and pleasant to consume every day.
In addition to physiological changes, there is a significant knowledge gap. Reduced hunger signals often lead to uncertainty about food quantity and choice. Some users inadvertently consume too few calories or miss essential nutrients, which can lead to fatigue, muscle loss, and other health issues.
On social networks, users actively seek advice and recommendations on nutrition, often citing a lack of formal support and education on the proper use of GLP-1 therapies.
This presents a clear opportunity for food and beverage brands, not only through products but also through knowledge and guidance for consumers. High-protein, portion-controlled, and nutrient-dense products designed for users of GLP-1 therapies could become new pillars of daily nutrition.
Equally important is education about what to eat, how often, and why. This model must become an integrated part of the product itself. Brands that empower consumers to feel informed and in control of their choices build trust and loyalty.
Over time, many users of GLP-1 therapies develop a very deliberate and thoughtful approach to shopping. Since hunger no longer dictates their decisions, they become attentive, analytical, and detail-oriented. They begin to pay attention to product declarations, nutritional values, and product benefits.
These are not just consumers who strive for healthy living; they are pragmatic and respond directly to body signals. Traditional “better-for-you” marketing is no longer enough. What they need are clearly defined, scientifically supported benefits that support the way their body works.
Key Implications for Brands: Strategies Must Change
Brands that adapt to this transformation in appetite through a combination of insight and innovation will have an advantage in the market. Three key trends stand out in particular:
- Portion as a new tactical field: with the reduction of intake quantities, each bite gains more weight. Smaller, nutritionally concentrated, is the basic criterion in the development of new products.
- Rethinking the concept of pleasure: Emotional eating gives way to conscious and deliberate consumption. Massages that emphasize satisfaction, simplicity, and consumer control will resonate more than traditional marketing.
- Emergence of new categories: There is a clear need for high-protein products that are easily digestible and integrated into daily routines. Functional beverages, products that prolong satiety, and educational tools are becoming key segments of the market.
Brands that manage to adapt to these changes will be best positioned to maintain relevance and loyalty in a reshaping market. The challenge is clear, but so is the opportunity. Appetite has changed, and strategies must evolve with it.
