British shoppers purchased less food and drink over the recent festive period, with industry experts pointing to the widespread use of weight loss injections as a key factor. This phenomenon is being dubbed the 'fat jab Christmas'.
The Sales Figures Tell a Story of Two Trends
According to data from market researcher NielsenIQ, grocery sales reached £19.6 billion in the four weeks leading to December 27. This represents a 2.5% increase in value compared to the same period the previous year. However, a deeper look reveals a contrasting picture: sales measured by volume actually fell by 0.2%.
This indicates that while consumers spent more money, often due to ongoing inflation, they took home fewer items. Retail analysts are increasingly linking this shift in consumption habits to the rapid rise in the use of GLP-1 agonist drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.
The 'Ozempic Effect' Reshapes Appetites and Aisles
These injections mimic a hormone that makes people feel full sooner. Research from University College London estimates that around 1.6 million UK adults have used these treatments in the past year. The NHS prescribes some specifically for weight loss, while others are for diabetes management.
Jonathan De Mello, a retail analyst at JDM Retail, stated: “The Ozempic effect is now a very real trend in grocery, with GLP-1 usage rising rapidly, and concurrent year-on-year grocery volume decline among users as a result.”
He noted that high-calorie categories like snacks and alcohol have been particularly hard hit. Clive Black, a consumer analyst at Shore Capital, suggested the Christmas volume dip was "perhaps the clearest indication of the impact of glucagon-peptide (GLP) drugs upon the nation's eating habits."
How Supermarkets Are Adapting to New Consumer Habits
Major retailers are already pivoting to cater to this 'less but better' trend. In response to changing appetites, several have launched new product lines at the start of the New Year:
- Co-op has introduced four new 'mini meals' designed for smaller appetites.
- Marks & Spencer is rolling out a new 'nutrient dense' food range.
- Iceland has expanded its frozen ready meal selection with 38 new lines.
The trend extends beyond groceries. Roisin Currie, chief executive of Greggs, acknowledged there is "no doubt" weight loss jabs are affecting their business. She reported customers are increasingly "looking for smaller portions" and more nutritional information.
Supermarket leaders are watching closely. Tesco's Ken Murphy said they are monitoring consumer trends "very closely" in light of the rise in weight loss medication, while Sainsbury's Simon Roberts confirmed the grocer is "observing closely" how shopper habits evolve.
