Rise of weight loss medication ‘reshaping how consumers eat and socialise’

New research from IGD shows that GLP-1 adoption continues to grow at pace, with 8% of UK adults having personally used weight-loss medications as of May this year - up from 3.1% in June 2025, with 6% currently using them. Based on qualitative research with current GLP-1 users, IGD says that the impact of weight loss medications extends far beyond smaller appetites with users reporting becoming more focused on nutrition, eating less overall, and changing the types of food they want to consume. Reduced portion sizes are the most commonly reported impact of GLP-1 use, according to the research, with many users ordering smaller portions, choosing starters instead of mains, sharing dishes, opting for children’s portions and ordering fewer drinks and courses. Many users say they now research menus before visiting venues to check calories, flexibility and whether suitable options will be available. Beyond eating less, respondents reported becoming more conscious of nutritional content and actively trying to make better food and drink choices, with protein emerging as a particularly important consideration. Some users also reported moving away from occasions centred on eating and drinking, instead choosing leisure activities or simpler social occasions. “We’re seeing two shifts happening at the same time: consumers becoming more selective about the food they eat, while also rethinking social occasions that traditionally revolved around food and drink,” says Shannon Goldsmith, senior insight analyst at IGD. “Businesses will need to respond to both changes if they want to stay relevant as GLP-1 adoption grows.” The uptake of people using weight loss medication is also impacting on the takeaway sector, fresh research shows. A survey from audit, tax and consulting firm RSM of 2,000 consumers found that more than a third of consumers using GLP-1s are eating out or getting takeaway less frequently. The research supports IGD’s findings that weight loss drug users are also eating healthier, with almost a third (29%) spending more on healthier food options. It also found that 45% of people who are using GLP-1s or have used them eat smaller portions, while 39% said they snack less frequently. Almost a third (32%) drink less alcohol. RSM says the rise of weight-loss drugs is ‘reshaping’ Britain’s hospitality industry. “This drive towards healthy options is not new,” says Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK. “However, the increased use of GLP-1s has accelerated this trend so operators are needing to reengineer menus, whether it’s providing healthy or protein rich options, offering lower and no alcohol options or incorporating small plates. “Operators will need to adapt quickly to preserve margins and capitalise on this growing health trend, particularly as the first daily weight loss pill launched yesterday in the UK, and is set to accelerate demand further.” RSM puts the figure of people who have used GLP-1s or are currently using them higher than IGD’s figure, with its research suggesting that almost two in 10 consumers (19%) have used GLP-1s or are currently using them. This increases to 36% for Gen Z and 30% for millennials, it says. Greater uptake of the drug is expected in the months and years ahead following the launch of the first daily GLP-1 weight-loss tablet in the UK this week.

Rise of weight loss medication ‘reshaping how consumers eat and socialise’

GLP-1 weight loss medications are reshaping how consumers eat, drink and socialise, with many users increasingly choosing activities over food-focused occasions.

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