After GLP-1s: Weight Maintenance May Be Food’s Next Frontier
With one-year GLP-1 discontinuation rates of 36% to 65%, analysts see a new market in helping people keep weight off after the drugs.
Many people stop taking GLP-1 drugs within a year. The food industry is starting to ask what they eat next.
TLDR
- One-year GLP-1 discontinuation typically runs 36% to 65%.
- Non-diabetic users sit at the high end of that range.
- Weight regain is reframing GLP-1s as chronic therapy.
- Nestlé is developing ingredient combinations for post-GLP-1 users.
The Drop-Off Problem
GLP-1 medications are reshaping appetite and grocery baskets. But typical one-year discontinuation rates run from 36% to 65%. Non-diabetic users tend toward the upper end. Weight regain after stopping is shifting how the drugs are viewed, from a course of treatment to chronic therapy.
“Weight maintenance will always be the long term goal after weight loss,” said Caroline Young, head of insights at the Institute of Grocery Distribution. “Long-term the industry needs to make it easier for post-GLP-1 users to keep the weight off.”
Churn, Not Collapse
Consultants at Argon & Co expect segmentation rather than decline. “We should expect some levels of churn and the market to become more segmented rather than a decline,” said James Watson, a partner at the firm.
Pills could change the math. “Pills remove quite a few of the frictions that make long-term use hard: no needles, no sharps disposal, no cold chain and a lower price entry point,” said Michel Savini, associate partner for life sciences at Argon & Co.
Why It Matters
Nestlé is developing proprietary ingredient combinations to help suppress appetite for people coming off GLP-1s. Robard Corporation has created Biocare2, a beverage aimed at the same need. Expect more products, recipes, apps and nutrition guidance built for life after the prescription.
Source: FoodNavigator. Read the report.