What is the GLP-1 halo effect? Summary
- GLP‑1 drugs influence non‑users by shaping household eating behaviours
- Many households reduce meal sizes and change shared eating patterns
- Around 55 percent report GLP‑1 users belief their use alters wider household diets
- Non‑users increasingly choose high‑protein, low‑sugar, GLP‑1‑friendly foods
- Industry faces potential reduced sales but strong growth in GLP‑1 nutrition products
Users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have the potential to transform the food industry entirely. Eating habits have changed, with smaller portions, lower levels of fat and sugar, and an abundance of protein and fibre in strong demand.
However, the impact of the GLP-1 wave extends beyond the users themselves, to those around them. This is known as the ‘GLP-1 halo effect’.
Consumers in GLP-1 households adopt GLP-1 diet
The GLP-1 halo effect can affect consumers in several ways.
Firstly, it can make diets more restrictive, and change eating patterns. When people are using GLP-1s in a household, it has the potential to influence others in the same household.
“There is likely to be a ‘halo effect’, where those taking GLP-1s could start to strongly influence the makeup and size of the wider household [food purchases] and shift social occasions,” says Caroline Young, shopper insights manager at the UK’s Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD).
According to IGD’s data, around 55% of people using GLP-1s agree that being on the drugs has influenced the way the rest of their household eats. Furthermore, around 38% say that the household is sitting down to eat together less often.
Non-GLP-1 users embrace GLP-1-friendly products
Other consumers, who do not take the drugs, are gravitating towards GLP-1-friendly products, such as those high in protein and fibre, low in sugar and fat, and of smaller size. Weight-conscious consumers, those practicing mindful eating, and people on other medications are finding products meant for GLP-1 users more and more appealing, according to ingredients supplier IFF.
The halo effect “illustrates how GLP‑1 acts as a catalyst for greater nutritional awareness, leading both users and non‑users to adopt more intentional, health‑driven eating patterns", says Sonia Huppert, global innovation marketing leader the company.
What this means for industry
Manufacturers are still grappling with the potential impact that the popularity of GLP-1s will have on the food sector – namely, how it will affect the sales of their products.
A broad GLP‑1 halo effect could mean reduced purchases of certain foods even among non‑users, leading to a larger sales decline than would result from GLP‑1 users alone.
On top of this, with GLP-1-friendly products appealing to more than just GLP-1 users, this could prove an opportunity for companies working on such products. According to analytics company Future Market Insights, the GLP-1 nutritional support market has a CAGR of 12.2% between 2025 and 2035.
Will this truly be a challenge for the industry? Will it provide threat or opportunity, or both? Only time will tell.
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.
