There\u2019s no denying the popularity of weight-loss drugs in the United States, <\/a>with one in eight adults relying on GLP-1s to shed pounds or treat a chronic condition, according to a November survey by health policy organization KFF<\/a>. <\/p>\n The GLP-1 industry is generating billions in revenue – and growing. Medications, like Ozempic and Wegovy, raked in more than $31 billion in revenue<\/a> for Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in 2024, accounting for meaningful chunk of Denmark\u2019s GDP, Reuters<\/a> reports.<\/p>\n Weight loss drugs have also rapidly spread through the cultural zeitgeist with celebrities endorsing and admitting their use of the products. <\/a>Social media is alight with conversation over the drugs with hashtags like \u201cOzempic face\u201d being used to describe the apparent effects of rapid weight-loss<\/a>. And it\u2019s possible we\u2019ll see greater uptake of GLP-1s now that the drugs, once only available as injectables, are being made in pill form<\/a>.<\/p>\n But the impact of GLP-1s stretches far beyond the health and well-being of those using them: they\u2019re impacting revenues \u2014 for better or worse \u2014 in a swath of industries. <\/p>\n Appetite for change<\/strong><\/p>\n Studies show that GLP-1 use contributes to lower spending on groceries and fast food. <\/a>Weight loss can change patients\u2019 eating habits and appetite, according to Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian based in New York.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they’re losing weight, people sometimes go, \u2018I’m not as hungry\u2019 \u2026 and \u2018I just don’t eat as much as I used to,\u2019\u201d Pace told The Independent. <\/p>\n GLP-1s can also curb cravings because they impact \u201creward centers\u201d of the brain, according to Dr. Will Haas, a board-certified integrative medicine physician in North Carolina. <\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Weight loss can change patients\u2019 eating habits and appetite, according to Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian based in New York (Getty\/iStock)<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re not getting that same kind of reward feedback loop from some of the ultra-processed foods,\u201d he told The Independent. <\/p>\n It appears grocery baskets are taking a hit. Households with at least one GLP-1 user saw their grocery spending drop by more than 5 percent within six months, according to a study published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Market Research<\/a> in December. <\/p>\n A study<\/a> published in January, by the consulting firm Bain & Company, also revealed that U.S. consumers taking GLP-1s spend an average of 5 percent less on fast food.<\/p>\n Some of the biggest fast food companies are already seeing falling sales and economic analysts have described weight loss drugs as \u201cdemand disruptors\u201d in the industry, CBS News<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n McDonald\u2019s could lose up to 28 million customer visits and $482 million per year due to the growing popularity of GLP-1 medications, Redburn Atlantic, a financial analysis firm, told CBS News.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n U.S. consumers taking GLP-1s spend an average of 5 percent less on fast food, one study revealed (Getty Images)<\/p>\n Some food companies are trying new marketing schemes to appeal to weight-loss drug users. In groceries stores across the U.S., more and more products are being labeled as \u201cGLP-1 friendly,\u201d especially if the items are high in protein. However, these labels are unregulated, which means patients should still read ingredient lists and consult with their doctors about their diet, according to the Associated Press<\/a>. <\/p>\n Pace warns that people looking to lose weight can\u2019t just eat less \u2014 they also have to consider making healthier food choices.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think you’re spending less on food. But how many people are really making the transition into making healthier food choices, and they’re just not eating exactly the same way, they\u2019re just eating less, letting the pill do all the work? I’ve seen a lot of that,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Backing off the booze <\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s not just food \u2014 weight-loss drugs have seen some users cutting back on alcohol and other beverages. <\/p>\n Haas said many of his patients who take GLP-1s report \u201creduced cravings and lower alcohol consumption<\/a> as a result.\u201d That means they\u2019re likely spending less on alcohol when they go out, too. <\/p>\n Financial analysts have observed a similar trend. About 44 percent of GLP-1 users drink less after starting the medication, and 82 percent maintain those habits even after stopping, according to a March 2025 survey by EY-Parthenon<\/a>. <\/p>\n Alcohol stocks tumbled last summer, and rising GLP-1 use may have contributed to this dip in sales, according to Forbes<\/a>. Brown-Forman, the company that produces Jack Daniel\u2019s whiskey, has warned the industry is facing pressure because of a number of factors, including weight-loss drugs and lower demand from younger adults, the outlet reports.<\/p>\n Patients who use weight-loss drugs may also be drinking less because they have a renewed focus on their health. <\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re also going to have the secondary effect of people saying, \u2018Hey, I’m making this investment in my health, I should probably make smarter health decisions elsewhere in my life,\u201d Haas explained.<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n Patients who use weight-loss drugs may also be drinking less because they have a renewed focus on their health (Getty Images)<\/p>\n GLP-1 users also report lower consumption of other beverages, including coffee and soda. This could mean trouble for major beverage makers – but some industry leaders aren\u2019t worried, according to Food Dive<\/a>. <\/p>\n Coca-Cola CFO John Murphy has said the popular soda brand is already \u201cwell positioned to provide choice and to provide options for people\u2019s respective motivations and needs,\u201d thanks to its selection of drinks with few or no calories, Food Dive reports.<\/p>\n Flying start<\/strong><\/p>\n The increased popularity of GLP-1s means airlines are carrying slimmer passengers, which in turn reduces their fuel costs, according to a recent report by the Wall Street firm Jefferies. <\/p>\n Analysts estimate these drugs could save the top U.S. airlines up to $580 million over the next year<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cA slimmer society = lower fuel consumption. Airlines have a history of being vigilant around aircraft weight savings, from olives (pitless, of course) to paper stock,\u201d the firm wrote in a note to clients seen by CNBC<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fashion conscious <\/strong><\/p>\n Weight-loss medications are proving to be a major disrupter to the fashion and beauty industries. <\/a>Sales of smaller sizes are steadily rising, according to a September study from Impact Analytics,<\/a> bucking the previous trend of an increase in larger sizes.<\/p>\n Returns are also up – and means fashion brands could lose out on revenue if they don\u2019t adapt, the firm said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe rise of GLP-1s is collapsing traditional demand patterns at a speed retailers have never experienced before\u201d wrote Impact Analytics founder <\/a>Prashant Agrawal. \u201cOur data shows billions of dollars in retail margins for inventory are at risk unless brands start planning for the shopper of 2027, instead of the shopper of 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n open image in gallery<\/p>\n A woman walks past a British Burberry shop at a shopping mall in Beijing on January 30, 2026. (Photo by ADEK BERRY \/ AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Some U.S. retailers are moving quickly. Avneet Singh, founder of men\u2019s clothing line Regent Row, told CNBC<\/a> stores are already \u201cputting fewer extended sizes on the rack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll see tighter size runs in store and more \u2018online-only\u2019 tags once you hit 2XL and up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n![\"Weight](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/iStock-2236560849.jpg\")
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