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By Hannah Stodell (hannahstodell1@gmail.com)

Publishing: 7 March 2026

Advertising deadline: 20 February 2026

Submissions deadline: 13 February 2026

Brits bought 2.5 million packs of injectable weight-loss drugs in July 2025, up from less than 500k a year earlier. The drugs supress appetite by mimicking the hormone GLP-1, which promotes feelings of satiety, and have been billed as a life-safer for people who are obese. But they’re not without risk: studies have shown that prolonged use can cause lethargy, muscle wastage and malnutrition. Demand for low-calorie, nutritionally-dense drinks are therefore on the rise among GLP-1 jab users. Could this be a golden opportunity for dairy drinks? To what extent will this help dairy drinks offset the coming imposition of the sugar tax on the category? And what other opportunities are there for dairy drinks?

GLP-1s

•How big an opportunity is booming use of GLP-1 drugs in the UK for dairy drinks brands? Why?

•Which nutrients and other product attributes (i.e. protein, fibre, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, etc) are in most demand?

•What technical challenges do manufacturers need to overcome to in reducing calorie content and increasing the nutritional content of their products?

•Some dairy giants have launched products marketed at GLP-1 users in the US. When will we see similar products in the UK?

•We will be profiling four interesting new products, please provide rsp, pack volume, stockists details, launch dare and imagery.

Sugar tax

•Ahead of the imposition of the sugar tax on carbonated soft drinks in 2018 we saw a wave of lower calorie innovation. Are we about to see the same in dairy drinks?

•Is use of artfificial sweeteners going to increase in the category? How much aspartame, ace-K etc goes into dairy drinks at present?

•How are dairy drink makers responding?

•Which products are affected?

•What are producers doing to react to the tax?

•Will many need to reformulate?

•Is the impact on NPD already kicking in?

Lactose allowance

•How does the lactose allowance fit into the new legislation?

•Which dairy drinks are exempt from the tax due to account for naturally occuring sugars?

•How much of an advantage does this give drink makers who can avoid the tax?

Milk down the drain

•How is oversupply of milk affecting the dairy drinks category?

•What have suppliers had to do to adjust?

•What are the alternatives to pouring milk down the drain – are there more sustainable ways of using it?

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