Research
Talking Points: Anti-obesity medications
Both the demand and supply of anti-obesity medications have exceeded all expectations and the momentum driving the market suggests they are highly likely to become a permanent feature of the food landscape. Doubly so as scientists keep finding further benefits from taking them – the weight loss effects of these drugs might ultimately prove to be their least remarkable feature.
It has been over a year since the food industry finally woke up to the threats and opportunities of the new class of Anti-Obesity Medications (AOMs) such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. And gosh, what a lot has happened since then. Chiefly, both demand and supply of these drugs have exceeded all expectations and the momentum driving the market suggests they are highly likely to become a permanent feature of the food landscape. Doubly so as scientists keep finding further benefits from taking them – the weight loss effects of these drugs might ultimately prove to be their least remarkable feature. But for now, the impact of these drugs on the food industry is real. People on these drugs not only eat less and consequently lose body weight (about 15%-20% of their bodyweight, consuming about 20%-30% fewer calories) but critically are choosing to eat different foods, oftentimes healthier ones. The challenge for the food industry is to figure out how to respond to that and unlock some of the opportunities these drugs create.