GLP-1 market winners and losers summary
- GLP-1 drugs drive major shifts across global food sectors
- Functional ingredients surge as users prioritise nutrient density and satiety
- Fatty and sugary foods seen by many consumers as less desirable
- Industry innovators launch protein-rich portion-aligned ranges targeting GLP-1 users
- Alcohol consumption drops as GLP-1 reduces motivation and reward response
In a little over a year, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have transformed the food sector. Where once they were confined to treatment for diabetes, now around 12% of the US population (by some estimates) uses the drugs.
With any revolution, there are winners and there are losers. GLP-1 is no different. The market has provided unparalleled opportunities for some food sectors, while for others, it poses a substantial threat.
Winners: Functional ingredients
The main purpose of GLP-1s is boosting satiety, more commonly known as the feeling of fullness. This means that those who use the drugs are likely to eat significantly smaller portions.
Of course, GLP-1 users still need to meet the daily recomended intake of nutrients. That’s why portion-controlled, nutrient-dense food appeals.
Thus, the use of ingredients such as protein and fibre in significant quantities is more important than ever, providing GLP-1 users with the nutrients they need.
Some ingredients have been in particularly strong demand. Prescriptions of whey protein by GLP-1 users is one of the primary factors in driving a global shortage of the ingredient.
Even electrolyte drinks may benefit from the GLP-1 boom. With GLP-1 users often drinking fewer fluids, rapid hydration is becoming more important. Thus, drinks containing electrolytes can provide GLP-1 users with a much-needed hydration boost.
While not all manufacturers see GLP-1s as a positive, many are looking to the boom as an opportunity to create nutritionally dense products.
Losers: Fatty and sugary foods
GLP-1s don’t just change the amount that consumers want to eat – they also change the type of foods people are eating.
For example, GLP-1 users often report lower cravings for fatty, starchy or salty foods than previously.
And while some research suggests that users may be more attracted to sweeter foods, there is also significant evidence that purchases of sugary drinks have fallen by around 7% among GLP-1-using families.
Recent research from ingredients company Tate & Lyle backs this up, suggesting that large, calorie-dense snacks, high in fat or sugar, are unpopular with GLP-1 users.
There is significant evidence that GLP-1 changes even the way people taste certain foods, in turn influencing what they desire. Whilst it’s not an exact science and all consumers are different, food companies need to watch out that GLP-1 users don’t pivot away from their products because of changed taste.
Winners: Companion product innovators
While GLP-1 adoption has taken some time, many key industry players have now embracing the trend, seizing the opportunity to release new products and expand existing ranges
Nestlé was one of the first out of the gate, with its nutrient-dense Vital Pursuit product targeted specifically at GLP-1 users. The product was both ‘portion-aligned’ (in other words, smaller), and high in much-coveted ingredients such as protein, fibre and calcium.
Multinational giant General Mills has also responded to the trend by adding more protein to many of its key products, and US-based Conagra Brands has labelled many of its ‘Healthy Choice’ frozen meals as GLP-1 friendly.
Outside the big FMCGs, other companies are embracing the trend as well. For example, UK supermarket chain Morrisons recently released a set of GLP-1 friendly meals. The range will include high-protein versions of cheese, ice cream and pasta.
While the ‘maxxing’ trend in protein is likely to decline overall, for GLP-1 users protein is arguably more important than ever.
While some products are nutrient-dense and are aimed at those who are already using GLP-1s, others are more focused on providing satiety through food as an alternative to the drugs.
Many of these products are relatively new to the market, so their long-term success is not certain. But GLP-1s have provided a new niche that is already driving significant innovation, with a lot of potential. Last year, analytics company Future Market Insights predicted the GLP-1 nutritional support market would grow at a CAGR of 12.2% between 2025 and 2035.
Losers: Alcohol
While food may be foremost in consumers’ minds, alcohol consumption could also be a casualty of GLP-1s.
As early as 2024, research was suggesting that GLP-1 users often cut down on their alcohol intake over time.
Excessive drinkers were, in fact, the most likely to reduce their consumption overall during the study.
Indeed, this is borne out in the data. Many GLP-1 users are drinking significantly less, and research from investment bank Morgan Stanley suggests that around a quarter of users have stopped completely.
Another study suggested that GLP-1 drugs not only decrease consumer motivation to consume alcohol in the first place, but potentially reduce alcohol-induced reward.
GLP-1 drugs are just getting started. While they’ve already changed the world of food and beverage significantly, they show no sign of slowing down. While many key sectors have the potential to lose out, others, which appeal to the differing needs of GLP-1 users, could experience a boom.
Want to know more about the impact of GLP-1s on F&B?
Join us at Positive Nutrition, a series of broadcast events spotlighting the innovations and technologies central to the evolution of better-for-you food and drink.
On 5 February 2026, we’ll be hosting a session titled: Global GLP-1 disruption.
Weight-loss jabs are taking the world by storm, reshaping everything from consumer habits to product innovation. Their impact is being felt across regions and across categories, but the effect in one sector isn’t always mirrored in another. From soft drinks to alcohol, confectionery to snacks, we dissect the disruption and ask what’s next.
