The prediction: Growing GLP-1 adoption could increase annual apparel spending by $3 billion to $13 billion as users splurge on new clothes to support their weight loss journeys, according to Bernstein analysts.

Bernstein anticipates that GLP-1 takers will have larger apparel baskets for one to three years as they overhaul their wardrobes to keep up with changing sizes and increased confidence.

Zoom in: While it’s difficult to quantify GLP-1’s impact on the apparel industry, early indications are that retailers exposed to plus-size categories may be most affected, at least in the near-term.

• Destination XL reported a 6% YoY drop in total sales and a 7.3% decline in comparable sales in Q4 2025, with CEO Harvey Kanter saying the retailer “didn’t think it was going to be impacting the business as much as the level we think it is.”
• Torrid plans to close 30 stores in the first half of 2026—after shuttering 151 locations last year—to shore up its business amid plummeting sales.

Despite the short-term challenges, both retailers remain confident in their ability to win over shoppers—likely because many apparel retailers are moving away from inclusive sizing amid the rise of weight loss drugs.

• As of December 2025, just 50% of H&M’s assortment fit the “average” consumer, compared with 86% in February of last year, according to an analysis by FIT professor Mallorie Dunn.
• Nike, Old Navy, L.L. Bean, Ralph Lauren, and Shein also scaled down their plus-size offerings over that period.

Implications for apparel retailers: GLP-1 weight loss could create solid opportunity for apparel retailers. Fifty percent of US GLP-1 users report shopping for clothes more often since starting the drugs, while 29% are buying accessories more frequently, according to a Dentsu report.

However, the magnitude of that new rising demand may run up against economic realities. Destination XL’s Kanter noted that its shoppers are waiting until they achieve their goal weights before splurging, which could reveal a more restrained attitude toward apparel shopping among GLP-1 users than Bernstein’s forecast implies.

At the same time, retailers shouldn’t use GLP-1’s popularity as a reason to ditch inclusive sizing. Dunn estimates that 68% to 72% of US women wear plus-size clothing—meaning that brands that pull back too aggressively risk leaving considerable money on the table.