Weight-loss drug users save over £400 yearly on groceries, survey finds
11 reported
A survey by Worldpanel by Numerator reports that households using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs save more than £400 a year on grocery bills. The research, based on more than 11,600 households, found that use of these medications has nearly tripled in two years, with 1.9 million adults now taking them. The study indicates that 6.3% of households in Great Britain include at least one GLP-1 user, up from 4.1% in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024. In the year after starting the drugs, user households spent £780m less on groceries than expected compared with similar households. The survey also notes that 68% of users take GLP-1s specifically for weight loss, and cost has re-emerged as the primary barrier, with 41% of users stopping in 2026 due to expense.
What’s reported
GLP-1 use has nearly tripled in two years to 1.9 million adults.
6.3% of Great Britain households include a GLP-1 user, up from 4.1% in 2025 and 2.3% in 2024.
User households spent £780m less on groceries than expected in the year after starting the drugs.
Grocery spend dropped by £418 per user household compared with non-user households.
299 million fewer items were bought during the analysis period in February.
52% of users described their eating as “mindful”; 54% experienced fewer cravings; 11% no longer enjoyed favorite foods.
75% of users ate less chocolate; 72% reduced crisps consumption.
40% of users wanted smaller restaurant portions; 26% requested a GLP-1-friendly menu section.
Sales of mouthwash and chewing gum rose 20 and 24 percentage points respectively in user households.
68% of users take GLP-1s for weight loss; 41% stopped in 2026 due to cost.
Marks & Spencer introduced “nutrient-dense” food; Ocado created a “weight management” aisle.
Key figures
Chantel Kennaugh, head of public sector and nutrition GB for Worldpanel by Numerator
Sources: The Guardian
