Weight-loss drugs are saving users’ households more than £400 a year on grocery bills, according to new research, which found use of GLP-1s has nearly tripled in the past two years to 1.9 million adults. Apparently, when you stop thinking about food constantly, your wallet gets a little heavier too.
Just more than 6.3% of households in Great Britain now include at least one GLP-1 user, according to the survey from Worldpanel by Numerator. This marks a sharp rise from 4.1% of households in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024. That’s a lot of people suddenly realizing they don’t need to buy three bags of crisps per Netflix session.
The research showed that in the year after starting taking the drugs, households with at least one GLP‑1 user spent £780m less on groceries than expected compared with similar households. That’s £780 million that big snack brands are now frantically trying to figure out how to get back.
The increase in use of drugs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy is also having a significant impact on grocery spending, according to a survey of more than 11,600 households, as GLP-1 users buy less food at the supermarket. Grocery spend by households that include a weight-loss jab user has declined by £780m, with 299m fewer grocery packs bought during February, when the analysis took place. This equates to a £418 drop in grocery spending for user households compared with non-user ones.
More than half (52%) of GLP-1 users described their approach to eating as “mindful,” meaning that their food consumption was guided by hunger, rather than being linked to habit, routine or restriction. In other words, they’re eating because they’re actually hungry, not because it’s 3pm and the vending machine is right there.
More than half (54%) of weight-loss jab users reported that they experienced fewer cravings and less “food noise,” while one in 10 (11%) users said they no longer enjoyed their usual favourite foods or drinks. One in ten people have apparently broken up with their beloved chocolate bar, and the chocolate bar is taking it personally.
GLP-1 users said they were cutting back on treats: three-quarters (75%) reported eating less chocolate and a similar number (72%) reduced their consumption of crisps. The survey found this claim was supported by their shopping habits, as chocolate confectionery spend fell by 18 percentage points more in GLP-1 user households compared with non-user households.
The change in eating habits among GLP-1 users was not just confined to the home. Two-fifths (40%) of people taking weight-loss drugs said they wanted to see smaller portion sizes on restaurant menus, while more than a quarter (26%) requested a GLP-1-friendly section of the menu to choose from when eating out. Restaurants everywhere are now debating whether to add a “tiny food” section.
A common side-effect of weight-loss jabs, a dry mouth and bad breath - known as “Ozempic mouth” - drove some users to buy more mouthwash and chewing gum to counter this, with sales up 20 percentage points and 24 percentage points respectively in GLP-1 user households compared with non-user households. Because nothing says “health journey” like a sudden spike in gum sales.
Chantel Kennaugh, the head of public sector and nutrition GB for 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% 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.”
Some retailers have already begun to offer products specifically targeted at consumers taking weight-loss jabs. Marks & Spencer introduced a new range of “nutrient dense” food at the start of the year, aimed at satisfying customers who are eating less, while online supermarket Ocado has created a virtual “weight management” aisle. Because nothing says “retail innovation” like a shelf labeled “for people who don’t really want to eat.”
Price has re-emerged as the primary barrier to taking the medication, Worldpanel found, with two-fifths (41%) of users reporting stopping in 2026 because of the cost. So the drugs save you money on groceries, but you might have to stop taking them because they’re too expensive. Classic catch-22.