![\"Sainsbury\u2019s](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/e6be1d88f3928b012fb5fbe4b75add94.png\")
Sainsbury\u2019s is among supermarkets to bring out products catered to those with reduced appetites (Sainsbury\u2019s\/PA) <\/p>\nWeight loss medication entering into the mainstream could fundamentally reshape how millions of people shop and what retailers choose to sell, according to new research.<\/p>\n
GLP-1s are already influencing spending habits across the UK but the approval of the first oral pill this month will drive a more powerful shift, PwC Strategy& found in a study.<\/p>\n
The number of people in the UK using GLP-1s \u2013 the scientific name for weight loss medication \u2013 could increase from about three million to seven million by 2027, the study showed.<\/p>\n
Earlier this month, the Wegovy tablet, made by Novo Nordisk, was approved by the UK\u2019s medicines regulator.<\/p>\n
Chemist4U said more than 10,000 had joined the waiting list for a consultation ahead of the expected launch of the pill, and that many people expressing interest have not previously used GLP-1 jabs.<\/p>\n
The medication works by reducing food cravings and helping people feel fuller by mimicking the natural hormone released after eating.<\/p>\n
Sainsbury\u2019s is among supermarkets to bring out products catered to those with reduced appetites (Sainsbury\u2019s\/PA) <\/p>\n
PwC found that the oral pill could accelerate a shift in habits that was already under way, with spending being reallocated across categories including food, nutrition, fitness and wellness.<\/p>\n
Some 70% of GLP-1 users are spending less in appetite-led categories such as snacks, confectionary and crisps, while 60% are spending more on fresh food, the study showed.<\/p>\n
A total of 40% are spending more on products that support nutrition, fitness and confidence such as vitamins and supplements, the study showed.<\/p>\n
More than 80% of those who had stopped treatment said they had maintained at least some of the dietary and grocery changes they adopted while taking medication.<\/p>\n
Supermarkets, food chains and brands have already been introducing new products to cater to the growing number of people with reduced appetites, with Sainsbury\u2019s, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Greggs among those introducing nutrient-rich meals.<\/p>\n
GLP-1 users represent a mix of genders, ages and incomes, PwC\u2019s study found, which it said suggested that the medication was becoming mainstream.<\/p>\n
Women account for 60% of current users, and 80% are aged between 25 and 54.<\/p>\n
About 70% of users are accessing the medication privately, rather than being prescribed it through the NHS, according to the research.<\/p>\n
The accountancy giant\u2019s strategy consulting unit surveyed 2,300 UK adults for the report.<\/p>\n
Jacqueline Windsor, head of retail at PwC UK, said: \u201cGLP-1 is the most consumerised medication today.<\/p>\n
\u201cUsers express renewed confidence and energy that are shaping their demand for nutritious food, fitness routine and wardrobe refresh \u2013 which represent a basket reallocation rather than reduction of spend.\u201d<\/p>\n
She added that consumer businesses were likely to \u201creshape their portfolios\u201d and \u201cinnovate to capture changing preferences\u201d.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Weight loss medication entering into the mainstream could fundamentally reshape how millions of people shop and what retailers…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":755779,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[49,48,84,377,269794,104300,13171,25179],"class_list":["post-755778","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-medication","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-health","tag-medication","tag-oral-pill","tag-sainsburys","tag-spending-habits","tag-weight-loss-medication"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755778","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=755778"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/755778\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/755779"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=755778"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=755778"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=755778"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}