Around 70% of GLP-1 users are spending less on ‘appetite-led’ categories such as snacks, confectionery and crisps, PwC data shows. Meanwhile, 40% are spending more in areas that support nutrition, fitness and ‘confidence’.
While the uptake of GLP-1s remains relatively small – approximately 9% of UK adults have taken them – the new pill format could see that number tick up. Analysis from Lumina indicates that one in ten UK adults could be using GLP-1 medication by 2031.
And as GLP-1 adoption grows, we are likely to see a shift away not just from snacking items, but also from the traditional three meals a day ritual.
For some users, breakfast may be the meal occasion most vulnerable to disruption.
“Twelve percent of GLP-1 users now eat it less often and 4% skip it entirely – more than any other meal,” Leah Morgan Russell, head of insight at Weetabix, tells Food Manufacture.
“Those who do eat breakfast are most likely to finish it,” she adds, but these tend to be lighter, easier meals.
Russell describes the current environment as “fast changing” but fundamentally, the rise of these weight loss drugs signifies a growing interest in making healthier diet choices.
For Weetabix, this movement plays well into its ‘clean label’, health-driven offering.
“We’re confident, given the strong health qualities of Weetabix that even in a changing breakfast occasion for some consumers that we are very strongly placed,” Russell adds.
Working harder per bite
However, the insight lead notes that, overall, all meal occasions will need to “work harder” as appetites shrink, with nutrient density becoming a must-have.
This is reflected in research from Bramble Intelligence which predicts that nutrient per bite is how brands will gain the competitive edge going forward.
“This is particularly true of breakfast, which is increasingly viewed as an opportunity to secure nutrition early in the day,” Russell continues.
Products that deliver fibre, protein, hydration and digestive support in simple, everyday formats are winning over consumers. This is reflected in Weetabix Original’s continued growth, with the £6.8 million SKU seeing 103% value growth in the last 12 weeks.
“Weetabix can fit naturally into this new eating pattern because it offers a familiar, flexible breakfast that can be portioned to suit a smaller appetite while still providing wholegrain wheat, fibre and key vitamins and minerals,” she adds. “Pairing it with milk or yoghurt and fruit can add protein, hydration and further nutrients, helping a smaller meal work harder without creating a separate ‘GLP-1 diet’.”
While some users are skipping breakfast, the drugs are having a much more significant impact on grazing.
“It looks from the research that GLP-1 changes how people eat before it changes what they eat. As appetite suppression takes hold, users tend to eat fewer, more deliberate meals rather than grazing throughout the day,” says Russell.
She continues: “Breakfast doesn’t fragment into snacking so much as shift later or become smaller and more purposeful. Many established users delay eating until around 11am, replacing a traditional breakfast with a smaller, more intentional meal rather than a series of grazing occasions.”
Russell also predicts that we will start to see sweetness and richness dialled back, with many reporting a genuine loss of interest in sugary, indulgent foods as a side effect of the medication.
“This creates both a risk and an opportunity: brands built around sweetness may see reduced relevance, while those already positioned around naturally balanced, less-sweet taste profiles stand to gain trust and share,” says Russell.
“Weetabix is well placed here – our HFSS-compliant portfolio means consumers can trust our products remain low in sugar without compromising on the taste they enjoy.”
The importance of listening closely
With the advent of social media, trends can become a viral sensation overnight – making it difficult to distinguish between a long-term trend and a flash in the pan.
Many retailers have already reacted to the rise of weight loss drugs, rolling out different iterations that deliver to the modern consumer.
But for Russell, the long-term opportunity here isn’t about slapping a GLP-1 label onto a product, it’s about identifying unmet needs – and that requires an attentive ear.
“Consumers don’t want visible GLP-1 branding, they want benefits like protein, portion control and satiety embedded naturally into products they already trust. That’s the advantage of a brand with decades of direct consumer dialogue, continuously gathering feedback that shapes the portfolio ahead of need, rather than reacting to a trend.”
Weetabix’s recent packaging update which highlights vitamin D, fibre and iron, reflects its attuned approach; moving beyond the GLP-1 consumer and addressing the wider needs of consumers.
“We identified that around one in five UK adults and a quarter of children have insufficient vitamin D and addressed that clear need directly. The wider lesson for the category is that constant, structured consumer feedback turns changing behaviour into relevant innovation, rather than a scramble to catch up.”
For Weetabix, the GLP-1 era may require less reinvention and more reinforcement.
“Weetabix doesn’t always need to ‘respond’ to shifts like this – much of our portfolio was built for this moment already,” explains Russell.
“Many consumers already recognised that we are the healthy option. Our products have always been HFSS compliant, meaning the nutritional discipline GLP-1 users are now seeking is a perfect match for their need for high quality, healthy food. Demand for protein-forward breakfast formats, for example, has been accelerating for years. It’s not a niche need confined to GLP-1 users, but one we’ve been meeting for some time.”
What should manufacturers and retailers be paying closest attention to over the next three years?
As GLP-1 users move into maintenance, Russell predicts breakfast habits to stabilise.
“Breakfast will be the trusted daily staple people return to, which matters for long-term repeat purchase,” she adds. “The challenge here is not just helping people eat well during treatment but helping those habits stick afterwards. That means making nutritious choices feel convenient and part of existing routines, rather than reinforcing a separate ‘diet’ mindset.
“Breakfast is one of the easiest occasions to build that consistency, precisely because it’s already embedded in daily life. Food brands can support long-term behaviour change by making balanced choices familiar and easy to repeat.”
