Weight-Loss Drugs Reshape Consumer Habits and Retail Markets
The arrival of GLP-1 weight-loss medications is fundamentally altering the retail landscape in both the United States and the United Kingdom. As individuals shed significant amounts of weight, their spending habits are shifting away from groceries and alcohol toward apparel, skincare, and fitness gear. This transformation is prompting analysts to declare the emergence of a “new consumer.”
The Scale of GLP-1 Adoption
In the US, one in five adults (21%) have tried GLP-1 drugs. The UK is on a parallel trajectory, with research from the consultancy PwC revealing that 5% of adults—nearly 3 million people—are currently using the medications, while 9% have taken them at some point. PwC projects this figure will rise to 13%, or approximately 7 million people, by the end of next year.
The demographics of GLP-1 users skew heavily toward women, who make up about 60% of users. Wealth also plays a role: 20% of users come from the wealthiest households, compared to just 6% from lower-income backgrounds. According to Tamara Sender Ceron of Mintel, usage peaks among 25- to 44-year-olds at 13%, and one in 10 women aged 35 to 54 are currently on the drugs. Furthermore, PwC found that 83% of potential users would be more inclined to take the medication if it were available in pill form.
The Shift to Pills
Uptake is expected to accelerate further following the UK launch of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy pill on 6 July. The medication, currently available only via private prescription, first launched in the US in early January. Eli Lilly introduced a competing tablet, Foundayo (orforglipron), in the US in early April. Both pills are cheaper than their injected counterparts. Dr. Craig Primack, from the telehealth company Hims & Hers, noted that the pill format is attracting a new demographic that was previously hesitant to use weight-loss drugs.
Prices for the Wegovy pill at UK online pharmacies range from £69 for a month’s supply of the 1.5mg starting dose to £269 for the 25mg top dose. In comparison, the injectable version costs between £79 and £250 a month, while Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro ranges from £54 to £300 monthly. However, medical professionals warn of potential side effects, including nausea, diarrhoea, constipation, vomiting, and more serious complications like kidney damage.
Changing Wardrobes and Consumer Spending
Research from Circana indicates that GLP-1 users are eating less, choosing healthier foods, and reducing alcohol intake. Concurrently, they are buying more clothes, skincare, hair products, sportswear, games, toys, and health-monitoring gadgets.
For individuals like Hayley Grice, a 50-year-old financial director from Shropshire, the physical changes have completely transformed her shopping habits. After starting Mounjaro two years ago, Grice dropped seven dress sizes, moving from a UK size 26-28 (US size 22-24) to a UK size 12. She previously underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2009 but regained most of the weight. Now, Grice shops at standard retail stores rather than plus-size online retailers and embraces colours she previously avoided to not draw attention to herself.
In the US, Melody Ewert, a 45-year-old from Minnesota, has been taking GLP-1s for nearly a year. She tried the Wegovy pill for three weeks but stopped after experiencing adverse effects, including a halted menstrual cycle, switching back to Eli Lilly’s Zepbound jabs at a monthly cost of $450. Ewert is currently shopping at thrift stores and sales racks, waiting until she reaches her goal weight of 150lb (68kg) before investing in a full new wardrobe. She notes buying undergarments most frequently and wearing more colours and layers.
Impact on the Fashion Industry
The fashion sector is feeling the ripple effects. A medical study showed Wegovy led to an average weight loss of 21kg (46lb) over 72 weeks, equating to a drop of four dress sizes. Stephen Fitzgerald, a former commercial director at M&S, explains that an average weight loss of 5kg, reducing waist size by 4cm-5cm, equates to a full size change. With predictions that 10-15% of the UK population could be on these drugs by 2030, the impact on apparel retailers is expected to be significant.
In the UK, 42% of GLP-1 users are spending more on clothes, particularly activewear and occasion wear, according to PwC. Jacqueline Windsor, PwC’s UK head of retail, notes that consumers are seeking fit flexibility, a “transition wardrobe,” and tailored clothing to show off their new physiques. Shapewear is also seeing increased demand to address loose skin, while beauty brands are launching ranges to combat “Ozempic face” and hair thinning.
Analysts at Berenberg bank, including Anne Critchlow, suggest the shift from baggy, post-pandemic fashion to a more structured silhouette is no coincidence. Berenberg estimates a 1% boost to the overall UK clothing market from GLP-1s in each of the next three years, benefiting mid-market retailers like M&S, Next, and Zara, which cater to older and more affluent customers.
Conversely, plus-size retailers are experiencing sharp declines. Simon Wolfson, CEO of Next, reported a drop in very large sizes. At M&S, 65% of sales in some womenswear categories, such as jeans, now come from smaller sizes (6-12), up from a historical average of 40%. London-based BeigePlus, which sells designer fashion for UK sizes 16-28, has seen a 20% fall in sales over the past two years. CEO Hennie Fearnley described the commercial impact of these drugs as “nothing short of catastrophic” for the plus-size market.