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There’s a temptation to file GLP-1 under ‘weight loss trend’ and wait for the cycle to pass. Our new research suggests that would be a mistake.
STRAT7 has just completed one of the most comprehensive consumer studies on GLP-1’s real-world impact — surveying 1,441 people across the UK, US, Germany, and Sweden, including both current and lapsed users alongside a matched sample of non-users. What the data reveals is not a short-lived dietary fad, but a structural shift in how people relate to food, drink, and the choices they make for themselves and their households.
Keep reading to find out what makes this different from the headline stories you’ve already read. And if you missed out first blog in the series you can find it here Beyond food & drink: The GLP-1 opportunities hiding in plain sight.
Users are in it for the long haul
This is not a quick fix. 38% of current GLP-1 users plan to continue for at least a year, and 18% intend to use it indefinitely. For many, particularly those managing type 2 diabetes or chronic health conditions, this is a permanent commitment. But even among those using it primarily for weight management or aesthetic reasons, the intended duration is significant.
What that means for brands: the behavioural changes these users are making aren’t temporary adjustments. They’re settling into new patterns that will persist for months and years.
38% of current users plan to use GLP-1 for at least a year. 18% plan to use it indefinitely.
Source: STRAT7 GLP-1 Impact Study, 2026. Base: All current users, N=266
The effects don’t stop when the medication does
Perhaps more striking: even after people stop taking GLP-1, the behavioural changes largely stick. 59% of lapsed users say most or some of the eating and lifestyle changes they made while using GLP-1 have continued since stopping. Only around a third report reverting fully to previous habits.
This challenges the popular narrative that people simply ‘bounce back’ once they stop. While weight regain is well documented, the shifts in what people want, how they shop, and what they reach for appear to have more staying power than the scale alone would suggest.
It’s reshaping the whole household, not just the user
Here’s where it gets commercially significant. 73% of GLP-1 users agree that their health and dietary choices have influenced what food and drink is bought for the household overall in the last six months.
That’s a multiplier effect. Even if GLP-1 users represent a single-digit percentage of the population, their influence on household purchasing extends the impact far beyond the individual user. When one person in a household starts prioritising lighter, more nutritious food and cutting back on treats and snacking, the shopping basket changes for everyone.
73% of GLP-1 users say their choices have influenced household food and drink purchases.
Source: STRAT7 GLP-1 Impact Study, 2026. Base: All users, N=497
Adoption is only going to accelerate
Among lapsed users, 85% would consider using GLP-1 again – and that consideration jumps significantly when non-injectable formats (tablets, oral medications) are factored in. Among non-users who have never tried it, 42% say they would consider it in the future.
With patents expiring in several markets, prices set to fall, and oral formats in the pipeline, the barriers to entry are coming down fast. The current user base is not the ceiling – it’s the floor.
Two very different user groups are emerging
The research reveals two distinct cohorts, split primarily by age. Under-45 users tend to be younger, urban, affluent, and motivated by appearance and general wellness alongside health. Over-45 users are more likely to be using GLP-1 for diabetes management or existing health conditions, with a more modest financial profile.
This matters because the commercial implications are different for each group. The younger cohort represents a lifestyle-driven market where aesthetics, convenience, and premium positioning carry weight. The older cohort is more clinically oriented, where trust, efficacy, and health professional endorsement matter more.
What this means for your business
If you’re working in food and drink, consumer health, or any adjacent category, the question is no longer whether GLP-1 will affect your market. It’s how quickly, how broadly, and whether you’re positioned on the right side of the shift.
The brands that move now – identifying the GLP-1 cohorts within their customer base and how to engage each one, auditing their portfolio, understanding the new need states, and adapting their proposition – will be the ones that turn a structural threat into a competitive advantage.
Download our new report which reveals how GLP-1 adoption is reshaping what consumers want, how they choose, and where brands need to innovate – across food, drink, and beyond.
About the author
- Claire Jennings
- Director, STRAT7 Incite
Claire is a Director in the consumer team, specialising in large scale, quantitative work designed to identify and unlock opportunities for brands as the FMCG landscape evolves at pace. She has extensive experience working for major beverage brands, food manufacturers and within consumer health. Her recent work focuses on how food and drink brands can continue to drive relevance as competitive sets extend beyond traditional boundaries.