20 July 2026, 5:57pm
New report shows influence of weight loss medication on shopping habits
CheckpointRNZ’s weekday drive-time news programme from 4-6pm.
Weight loss medicines changing the way consumers shop
Checkpoint
The rise of weight loss jabs could completely change the way people shop, and not just for food, according to a leading business consultancy
A new report by EY looks at the way GLP-1 weight loss medicines are influencing consumer choices in Australia and what that could mean for business
The drugs mimic a natural hormone that regulates appetite but also changes cravings, eating habits and taste
It says the assumption that appetite drives consumption has driven the grocery sector, but that is changing
One of the report authors, Lisa Nijssen-Smith told Checkpointthey had discovered a number of different ways people had changed their eating habits, and it often goes beyond just the user of the medication
“If that person is doing the grocery shopping for a family, we’re seeing that the entire family will move to healthier options such as fruit and vegetables, more lean protein and reduced snack consumption.”
Nijssen-Smith said their research had shown about 10 percent of the Australian adult population are currently taking the drugs, and based off their modelling that number could reach up to 30 percent within a decade
In terms of what users of the medicine were buying at the supermarket, Nijssen-Smith said they had noticed a reduction of salty and sweet snacks, and a high rise in protein
While what was going into baskets was changing, she said the level of consumption was much the same
“We’re seeing people being very selective about their grocery basket and what they’re putting in there.”
“They’re still spending, but they’re being more selective about what they’re putting in their basket…so it may well be decreases in portion sizes if they’re buying ready meals and very much, you know, higher protein, less packaged, fresher ingredients. “
Nijssen-Smith said some of the food trends were being observed beyond GLP-1 users
“Some of the trends, particularly towards proteins and others, we’re seeing more broadly, not just in the GLP-1 market, but we’re seeing in health enthusiasts as well.”
She said she expected that some companies would start taking advantage of the shifting habits of shoppers and position their products to be more appeals to those on weight loss medications
Beyond the supermarket aisles, Nijssen-Smith said there had been a fairly steep decline in alcohol consumption for people on the medication
Eating out was another area that had seen a dramatic drop
“44 percent of GLP-1 users are dining out less and when they’re dining out, they’re making different choices as well. So they’re going for quality in terms of their dining out experiences… so there is an implication for the hospitality sector indeed.”
Aside from eating habits, users of the drug were refreshing their wardrobe more often, as well as spending more on skin care and grooming products
Nijssen-Smith said the trends being seen in Australia could be taken as an early signal for New Zealand companies
“Everyone’s got different infrastructure and funding and government policy around this, but we are definitely seeing in Australia what we were seeing in the US a couple of years ago. So I would say it would be a signal as to what could happen in New Zealand.”
20 July 2026, 5:57pm
