Weight loss pills go into the grocery cart

Weight loss pills are taking a big bite out of the food business.

People who take drugs like Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy – originally developed to treat type 2 diabetes – spend less on groceries and have a healthier variety in their shopping basket, according to a new study of shopping behavior by analytics firm Grocery Doppio.

This is because their appetite has decreased and their tastes have changed.

The biggest losers are food and confectionery manufacturers, who saw people on weight loss drugs buy 52% less of their products.

They also bought 47% less baked goods; 28% less soda and sugary drinks; 17% less alcoholic beverages; and 13% less processed foods.

Conversely, weight drug users increased their purchases of healthy foods such as lean protein.

Lauren Cobello, a Syracuse-based publicist who lost 45 pounds in six months while taking a generic version of Zepbound called Tirzepatide, said her “shopping habits have changed drastically.”

She has protein shakes for breakfast and lunch and eats a high protein dinner.

In general, she eats a lot more protein and vegetables, drinks little or no alcohol, and doesn’t indulge in junk food.

“My budget has shrunk by a few hundred dollars a month, but I’m eating healthier,” Cobello, 43, said.

She used to eat out a lot and it was often fast food.

“I crave different foods,” said Cobello. “Foods that are high in fat make me feel sick after eating them, so I crave healthier foods that are lighter.”

“I get full faster, so when I think about what to put in my body, I want quality ingredients,” she added.

A total of 1.7% of Americans were prescribed a semaglutide drug in the past year, the research shows.

These drugs mimic GLP-1 – the hormone the body naturally produces after eating – so users feel fuller faster and longer.

Among those taking a weight loss drug, 97% reduced their food spending by an average of 11%.

Sarasota, Florida, communications pro Elise Ramer, 42, who has been on Mounjaro for 19 months and lost more than 60 pounds, said she has reallocated her food spending “to other foods, like protein shakes, snacks with higher protein and less harmful foods. .

Instead of satisfying her carb addiction with bagels, waffles and ice cream, Ramer’s fridge is now stocked with Fairlife shakes, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt and hard cheeses.