Grocers Look Past the Drug as Shoppers Quit GLP-1 Meds
Retailers have courted shoppers on weight-loss drugs. Now some are planning for what those shoppers buy once the medication stops.
Grocers are working to become destinations for shoppers on GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Experts now say retailers should also plan for the people who stop taking them.
Numerator's GLP-1 usage tracker, published in August, shows baskets shrinking among people using the drugs. They move away from pantry staples and carb-centric goods toward protein- and fiber-rich items, seafood, functional nutrition and more intentional snacking. Spending from this group, which accounts for over $660 billion across consumer packaged goods, general merchandise and quick-service restaurants, was down nearly 4% after one year compared with similar households not using the drugs.
Several grocers have responded. The Giant Company offered store tours last month to help customers find food that pairs with the medications. ShopRite launched wellness kits for people new to GLP-1s. Costco added more protein-focused products to its private label line.
What happens after the prescription ends
Use of the drugs for weight loss is temporary, though. Sherry Frey, vice president of Total Wellness at NielsenIQ, said in emailed remarks that shopping habits hold steady for the first few months after people stop. By the six- to 11-month mark, behavior "largely converges back toward non-user norms."
Frey suggested dedicated protein and fiber destinations in stores, complementary products merchandised together, and nutrient benefits highlighted on shelf. Grocers could also offer meal solutions built around satiety and balanced nutrition, and use loyalty programs to personalize recommendations.
Hy-Vee CEO Jeremy Gosch spoke about the issue in his keynote at the Groceryshop conference in September. "We all know about GLP-1s, but the problem with GLP-1s is it's going to help you eat less. It's not going to change what you eat," he said.
Hy-Vee has put in place wellness initiatives for shoppers on the drugs, like many grocers. Its focus, though, is on the longer term. In July it introduced a six-week, self-guided online course that included one-on-one check-ins with a Hy-Vee registered dietitian, video modules and personalized goal setting. The course also helped participants build lasting habits such as staying hydrated, eating smaller and more frequent meals, and preparing meals ahead of time.
Gosch said the aim is to keep these shoppers and their new eating practices after the medication ends. "When they come off of the medication, they're putting the weight back on," he said. "So we're trying to make it so they have the ability to eventually not be medicated anymore because they're going to change what they're eating."
Source: Food Dive