There’s no denying the popularity of diet pills in the United States, with one in eight adults relying on GLP-1 to lose weight or treat a chronic condition, according to a November survey by the health policy organization KFF.
The GLP-1 industry generates billions in revenue—and growing. The drugs, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, generated more than $31 billion in revenue for Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in 2024, accounting for a significant portion of Denmark’s GDP, Reuters reports.
Weight loss drugs have also quickly spread into the cultural zeitgeist, with celebrities endorsing and admitting to using the products. Social media is ablaze with conversations about the drug with hashtags like “Ozempic do” being used to describe the apparent effects of rapid weight loss. And we may see greater uptake of GLP-1 now that the drugs, once available only as injectables, are being produced in pill form.
But the impact of GLP-1s extends far beyond the health and well-being of those who use them: they influence revenue—for better or for worse—in a number of industries.
Desire for change
Studies show that the use of GLP-1 helps reduce spending on food and fast food. Losing weight can change patients’ eating habits and appetite, according to Nicolette Pace, a New York-based dietitian.
“When I lose weight, people sometimes say, ‘I’m not as hungry’ … and ‘I don’t eat as much as I used to,'” Pace said. The Independent.
GLP-1s can also reduce cravings because they impact the brain’s “reward centers,” according to Dr. Will Haas, a board-certified integrative medicine physician in North Carolina.
Losing weight can change patients’ eating habits and appetite, according to Nicolette Pace, a registered dietitian in New York (Getty/iStock)
“You don’t get the same kind of reward feedback loop from some of the ultra-processed foods,” he said The Independent.
Looks like the grocery carts are getting hit. Households with at least one GLP-1 user saw their food spending drop by more than 5% within six months, according to a peer-reviewed study. Journal of Market Research in December.
A study published in January by consulting firm Bain & Company also revealed that American consumers who take GLP-1 spend an average of 5 percent less on fast food.
Some of the biggest fast-food companies are already seeing declining sales, and economic analysts have described diet pills as “demand disruptors” in the industry, CBS News reported.
McDonald’s could lose up to 28 million customer visits and $482 million a year due to the growing popularity of GLP-1 drugs, Redburn Atlantic, a financial analysis firm, told CBS News.
US consumers taking GLP-1 spend an average of 5% less on fast food, study shows (Getty Images)
Some food companies are trying new marketing schemes to attract weight-loss drug users. In US grocery stores, more and more products are being labeled as “GLP-1 friendly,” especially if the products are high in protein. However, these labels are not regulated, meaning patients should still read ingredient lists and consult with their doctors about their diet, according to Associated Press.
Pace warns that people who want to lose weight can’t just eat less, they also need to consider making healthier food choices.
“You think you’re spending less on food. But how many people actually make the transition to healthier food choices and just don’t eat exactly the same, they just eat less, letting the pill do all the work? We’ve seen a lot of that,” she said.
Giving up drinking
It’s not just about the food – diet pills have made some consumers cut back on alcohol and other drinks.
Haas said many of his patients taking GLP-1 report “reduced cravings and, as a result, lower alcohol consumption.” That means I probably spend less on alcohol when I go out, too.
Financial analysts have noticed a similar trend. About 44 percent of GLP-1 users drink less after starting treatment, and 82 percent maintain these habits even after stopping, according to a March 2025 survey by EY-Parthenon.
Alcohol stocks fell last summer, and the growing use of GLP-1 may have contributed to this drop in sales, according to Forbes. Brown-Forman, the company that makes Jack Daniel’s whiskey, has warned that the industry is facing pressure from a number of factors, including weight loss drugs and lower demand from younger adults, the publication reported.
Patients using weight loss drugs may also drink less as they refocus on their health.
“You’re also going to have the side effect of people saying, ‘Hey, I’m making this investment in my health, I should probably be making smarter health decisions elsewhere in my life,'” Haas explained.
Patients on weight loss drugs may also drink less as they refocus on their health (Getty Images)
GLP-1 users also report lower consumption of other beverages, including coffee and soda. That could mean trouble for the big beverage makers — but some industry leaders aren’t concerned, appropriately Diving with food.
Coca-Cola CFO John Murphy said the popular soda brand is already “well-positioned to provide options and to provide options for people’s respective motivations and needs,” thanks to its selection of low-calorie or no-calorie beverages. Diving with food reports.
Take off
The increased popularity of GLP-1 means airlines are carrying thinner passengers, which in turn lowers their fuel costs, according to a recent report by Wall Street firm Jefferies.
Analysts estimate that these drugs could save top US airlines up to $580 million next year.
Airlines save on fuel costs thanks to growing popularity of diet pills (AFP via Getty Images)
“A leaner society = less fuel consumption. Airlines have a history of being vigilant about reducing aircraft weight, from olives (pitted, of course) to paper stock,” the firm wrote in a note to clients seen by CNBC.
Fashion conscious
Weight loss drugs are proving to be a major disruptor to the fashion and beauty industries. Sales of smaller sizes are steadily increasing, according to a September study from Impact Analytics, outstripping the previous trend of growth in larger sizes.
Yields are also on the rise – and it means fashion brands could lose revenue if they don’t adapt, the firm said.
“The growth of GLP-1s is collapsing traditional demand models at a speed that retailers have never experienced before,” wrote Impact Analytics founder Prashant Agrawal. “Our data shows that billions of dollars in retail margins for inventory are at risk if brands don’t start planning for 2027 shoppers instead of 2022 shoppers.”
A woman walks past a British Burberry store in a mall in Beijing on January 30, 2026. (Photo by ADEK BERRY / AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)
Some US retailers are moving quickly. Avneet Singh, founder of menswear line Regent Row, told CNBC stores are “already putting fewer plus sizes on the shelf.”
“You’ll see tighter size runs in store and more ‘online only’ labels once you get to 2XL and up,” he said.
The beauty industry is taking note too.Vogue reports that some companies have begun producing skin care products specific to GLP-1 because dry, tight skin is a reported side effect of weight loss medications.
Musching
Dr. Haas is seeing more patients investing in fitness and learning about what workouts are important to combine with weight loss medications.
“A lot more people are talking about going to the gym to do resistance exercise. So that’s another big change we’ve seen: People are now accepting the concept that cardio isn’t great. Because they’re hearing the importance of not losing muscle mass,” Haas said.
Gym owners seem optimistic that GLP-1 will benefit the industry, Axios reports. Some companies, such as Life Time, even create customized fitness programs for GLP-1 users, according to the outlet.
“We know that if you’re going to be successful with GLP-1, you’re going to have to learn how to exercise. You’re going to have to do some resistance exercise to keep the muscles lean, and you have to have proper dietary guidelines,” said Jim LaValle, Life Time’s chief scientific officer. Axios.