The number of adults using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs could more than double to seven million following the approval of pill format medication, according to PwC.
Adoption among adults could leap to two-and-a-half times current levels to 13%, the consultancy said in research released this morning.
Just under a tenth (9%) of UK adults have ever used the appetite-suppressing medication, which has exploded in popularity in recent years as an aid to weight loss.
An additional 18% of consumers now say they would consider using the jab or pill – representing a massive potential change in shopping habits.
The vast majority (70%) of those using the drugs spent less on snacks and confectionery, and 60% spent less on sugary drinks. But 60% of users reported increasing their fresh food budget, and 54% said they spent more on high-protein foods. Four in 10 (40%) said they spent more on vitamins and supplements.
The drugs have already wiped off £780m from household spend in the year to 28 February, according to NIQ statistics released in early June – equivalent to £418 less a year for each household with a GLP-1 user.
GLP-1s are now the “most consumerised medication today”, said PwC UK head of retail and partner in the firm’s Strategy& consulting wing Jacqueline Windsor.
Growing awareness and adoption of the drugs means that patients are increasingly picky, considering brand, value, efficacy, convenience and trust when choosing their medication.
Wegovy was the first brand to win regulatory approval for pill-format drugs in the UK last week, following their approval in January 2026 in the US.
“Clearly likely to be more accessible” for many consumers compared to jabs, the pill’s approval represented a “notable moment for the UK food system”, according to Shore Capital VC Clive Black.
Retailers have prepared for high demand for the new-format drugs, with Superdrug asking customers to register their interest ahead of product launch.
Windsor added that users expressed “renewed confidence and energy” that shaped their demand for nutritious foods, fitness routines and fresh wardrobes.
“That represents a basket reallocation rather than a reduction of spend,” she said.
“Who your GLP-1 customers are, and how your category changes, will dictate how brands and retailers compete.”
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