The data: The effects of GLP-1s extend beyond the user, according to several new reports.

• 4 in 5 UK households containing a GLP-1 user say the drugs have had a moderate to large impact on the eating behaviors of other household members, according to NIQ and IGD.
• 70% of US GLP-1 users reported changes to the food and fitness routines of those living with them, per Boston Consulting Group.

Zoom in: The clearest spillover is in food consumption. In both the UK and US, non-users living with people on GLP-1s report consuming fewer processed foods and eating fast food or takeout less often. Households are also cutting back on impulse purchases like snacks and candy while purchasing more fresh foods and protein.

With GLP-1 use set to expand as they become more affordable and accessible (and less stigmatized), these behaviors could soon become the norm. That increases the urgency for CPG and QSR companies to overhaul their portfolios and messaging to ensure they have the right products to meet consumers wherever they—or their household members—are in their weight loss journeys.

Implications for retail: In determining the total impact of GLP-1 use on consumption trends, companies must look beyond the total number of people taking the drugs. BCG estimates that GLP-1-influenced consumer demand reaches a population around 50% larger than the number of active users alone. That makes the household, rather than the individual user, a more useful lens to assess the drug’s effects on consumption and for determining how food and restaurant offerings should adapt.