If there’s one thing supermarkets love more than the golden quarter, it’s the ‘new year, new me’ resolutions that see shoppers looking to spend their money on new, improved versions of themselves. And so, every January, supermarkets launch a tranche of healthier products to cash in on shoppers’ best intentions.

But in 2026, it’s not low-fat, plant-based, alcohol-free or calorie-counted eating that retailers are betting on – it’s weight-loss drugs.

Morrisons, M&S, Co-op and Asda have all launched ready meal ranges specifically designed for shoppers using GLP-1 medication. That confidence is striking, considering fewer than 3% of UK adults are currrently using the drugs. With more than double that following plant-based diets, the question is whether the proliferation of ‘GLP-1 friendly’ ranges reflects a genuine consumer demand – or a race to be seen on the right side of the next big thing?

While the percentage of weight-loss medication users in the UK is still small, we need only look across the pond to see their potential impact on food & drink sales.

Early estimates indicate at least 15 million Americans (around 6% of the US population) are using GLP-1 drugs. Analysts predict this figure could double in the next five years, reaching 24-30 million Americans [Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan, UBS].

A 2024 Cornell University study found households with at least one GLP-1 user cut their grocery spend by 5.3% within six months, while higher-income households (those earning over $125,000) slashed their spending even more, by 8.2%. This equated to a $416 annual reduction in grocery spend per household, rising to $690 for bigger earners.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, snacking categories were the most adversely impacted. On average, these shoppers spent between 6.7% and 11.1% less on crisps, baked goods, sides and biscuits. Meanwhile, GLP-1 drugs have also been shown to reduce the desire for alcohol, which was part of the reason that veteran investment manager Terry Smith decided to ditch his underperforming stake in Diageo last January.

Smaller portions

Anecdotally, the impact of GLP-1 drugs is already being felt in the UK. Amid a muted forecast for the upcoming year, Greggs CEO Roisin Currie this month pointed to a “broader health trend” of people demanding more protein from food-to-go offerings.

In response, Greggs intends to roll out smaller portions and more protein-rich products in the coming months “to make sure we’ve got some of the snack products customers are looking for if they are on any of the GLP-1 drugs”. There’s no denying it’s a sensible approach.

By all accounts, the use of weight‑loss medications in the UK is set to rise rapidly. A study by UCL published earlier this month found that 3.3 million people who have not yet taken weight‑loss drugs said they would be interested in using them over the next year. And momentum is also building on the supply side, with a pill version of Wegovy submitted for approval in both the UK and EU. If signed off, it could significantly broaden the drugs’ appeal, particularly for consumers uneasy about injecting themselves.

Muted marketing

Given the forecast on GLP-1 drugs, it makes sense supermarkets are experimenting with ranges designed for shoppers using them. And it’s worth noting only Morrisons has explicitly referenced them on the front of packs.

The supermarket has added a ‘GLP-1 friendly’ callout to all seven of its Small & Balanced ready meals, made in partnership with Applied Nutrition. Elsewhere, retailers are taking a more oblique approach. M&S’s Nutrient Dense range is described as “ideal for those eating less due to weight-loss medication, lifestyle or age”; Co-op’s Good Fuel meals offer “big taste, smaller portions”; and Asda’s “power pots” are targeted at shoppers with “reduced appetites”.

Beyond appealing to GLP-1 users, retailers will be hoping these ranges resonate with older shoppers, consumers looking to cut portion sizes, and dieters more broadly. As industry insiders have pointed out, these products come at a premium.

While Morrisons’ Small & Balanced 280g meals are priced at £3.75, which is a “fairly typical” price for ready meals, fmcg category management consultant Charlotte Derra points out that “comparing price per kilo is a different story”.

Consumer confusion

Mark Whalley, co-founder of Explners, points out Morrisons now sells “four different health-oriented chicken tikka ready meals”, with the Applied Nutrition version containing more than 25% less food (280g vs 380g) for the same price.

“You are going to have a very hard time convincing me these are four distinct products targeting four different need states,” he says. “And an even harder time convincing me it’ll be really obvious to shoppers.”

Whalley argues that, while present, Morrisons’ ‘GLP-1 friendly’ claim “is less clear than the four claims beneath it on-pack”, showing the retailer’s “clear reluctance to truly lean into” the messaging.

For now, at least, retailers are hedging their bets, and the performance of their new ready meal ranges will likely inform further product development in 2027. Ultimately, the test will be whether supermarkets can convince shoppers to part with the same money for smaller, ‘GLP-1 friendly’ portions. If they can, weight-loss drugs might be re-evaluated by the fmcg industry as a commercial opportunity rather than a catastrophe.

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