1 drugs push shoppers back into stores as retailers rethink fitting rooms
Sunday, 2 August 2026, 14:27
New weight-loss treatments are changing how people shop, prompting retailers to redesign fitting rooms and services so customers feel confident trying new sizes in person
Nora Nay, 58, is updating her wardrobe and, for the first time in more than three decades, is losing weight after shedding 80 pounds on the GLP-1 drug Mounjaro. Earlier this year, a Denver bankruptcy attorney walked into Macy’s and felt overwhelmed and at a loss
Retailers will have to be ready for an influx of people moving into these sizes, but they will also need help on this issue, because we simply don’t know where to turn
– Nora Nay
According to Gallup, about 11% of Americans use GLP-1-based weight-loss drugs. Changes in body shape are prompting many to try on clothing in stores to understand which styles fit their new size, shoppers said
More than two-thirds of GLP-1 users say sizing changes have made them more likely to shop in-store, according to a 500-person ReturnPro survey, which helps retailers manage returns
This creates a new – or old – challenge for retailers who are starting to rethink their offline retail strategies to meet shoppers’ expectations, analysts say
There is potential to at least slow the shift to purely online shopping. We need to be more attentive to the in-store experience
– Johnson, Consumer Strategy EY-Parthenon
Kelly Cook, CEO of David’s Bridal, noted that weight-loss drugs are affecting the way people shop in her roughly 200 stores. In the last six months, customers tried on on average twice as many dresses – sometimes up to 10 styles per visit
Because of these drugs, departments of retail, discount chains, and boutiques are reconsidering the sizes they wear, the layout of fitting rooms, and styling services. According to Ali Furman, PwC’s consumer-market leader, investments in offline formats are most likely to appear over the next year
Discount retailer Ross Stores reported a 17% increase in same-store sales for the first quarter, which in May was tied to higher foot traffic and improved in-store experience, though the company did not mention a direct link to weight-loss drugs
Ross Stores did not respond to requests for comment. Macy’s also declined to comment
SIZE SELECTION
Amber Volkin, 43, who sells clothingas, started organizing private stylist sessions to help clients at different stages of weight loss
I trusted it, and I think that’s exactly what people in retail are missing today. If you want to bring people back to stores and give them a reason to pay more for something, you need to provide them a service that goes with it
– Amber Volkin
Among more than a hundred clients who bought goods from her business in the last two years, a little over three-quarters mentioned weight loss with GLP-1, she said
However, stores are starting to pay more attention to service personalization: AI is being used in size selection, and some brands are testing the integration of technologies in fitting rooms. Victoria’s Secret, in particular, has introduced AI technologies in select fitting rooms to help shoppers request other sizes; brand representatives did not comment
ReturnPro’s chief marketing officer, Amy DeWill, noted that stores should deliver greater personalization of service. “This could be AI, or a person who understands sizing issues well,” she said
STABILIZE, THEN SHOP
After GLP-1 users reach weight stability, they are more likely to buy pricier clothing. According to ReturnPro, among premium shoppers 91% said they tend to make purchases in offline stores, while among the broader group of GLP-1 users this figure was 69%
Wendi Fossum and John White lost 60 and 120 pounds respectively using weight-loss drugs. The couple, both 41, are exploring Minneapolis stores in search of affordable clothing
Fossum said that after weight stability she plans to visit Macy’s and local boutiques more often to update her wardrobe. “I see myself being more inclined to shop in stores in person,” she said, while working as a librarian at a law firm
Now, with weight stabilized, John White said he plans to buy a new suit in-store for an upcoming anniversary trip to Las Vegas. “It opens up a lot of possibilities for where I can get my clothes,” he noted
Overall, the retail industry continues to adapt to the realities of changing sizes and focuses on service and personalized size fitting, using new tools and technologies to bring people back to stores and make their shopping comfortable and affordable
