News and Trends

Source: Ella Jackson A quick wander down the aisles in Sainsburys this week and one thing really stands out: Functional benefits are everywhere. We saw this last January, when the big themes were protein and gut health. This year protein feels even louder, plus hydration and immunity are featuring a little more. With this many brands all shouting about protein… Can they really continue to stand out if so many are using the same benefit story?

  The end of impulse? How appetite drugs are redefining consumer choice GLP-1s are already having a profound impact on consumer behaviours, and it is a question of how – not if – they will continue to shape the market. By 2030 it is estimated that GLP-1 with have between 30-70 million global users, and 9% of the US population, who are consuming 15-40% fewer calories a day. This disrupts not only  what  people eat, but  why  and  how . Good headway has been made for brands trying to navigate this evolving scenario from the quant perspective. However, at Brand Genetics we believed there was a real need for  qualitative depth  to ensure the  human side of the story  wasn’t being forgotten. The result? 6 months of hard work has given us the deepest, richest and most human-centric lens of how the rise of GLP-1 is  impacting the way people think about their relationship with consumption . Harnessing our proprietary DNA framework shone a l...

 

  Full report available here: https://media.licdn.com/dms/document/media/v2/D4E10AQF62Ye633I0Xw/ads-document-pdf-analyzed/B4EZrFQvQ6KoAY-/0/1764246096824/HOWTHEUKREALLYEATS1pdf?e=1767794400&v=beta&t=gBasfSIzrJRik6EKN2zevPyYtPXhRUD2rPLnw4WNByE or here: R:\UK\MARKET REPORTS AND PRESENTATIONS\How the UK Really Eats - Health, Habits and Hidden Opportunities.pdf

Marks and Spencers is launching a new range of 'nutrient dense' food targeted at people who have reduced appetites due to taking   weight loss   jabs.  The retailer said the 20-product range is 'perfectly portioned' for customers on GLP-1 drugs because they contain 'high amounts of nutrients per calorie'.  The new range, set to launch in stores on January 5, include salads, breads and yoghurt bowls, and are aimed at customers currently taking medicines such as Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic to help aid their weight loss.  More than 1.5million people in the UK are thought to be accessing the jabs privately, whilst  NHS  prescriptions have risen by 900 per cent since 2020.  Annette Peters, head of food innovations at  M&S , said: 'We know the use of GLP-1 medications is growing, so it's more important than ever to ensure that even if people are eating smaller portions, we help provide them with the right levels of nutrients.  'We ha...

 

  When we first explored GLP-1's potential impact in February, many questions remained unanswered. Would adoption rates justify reformulation investments? Which categories would face real pressure versus media speculation? How should manufacturers balance GLP-1 considerations with their broader consumer base? Since then, more data has emerged. GLP-1 users remain a minority of consumers, yet their habits around portion control, protein intake, and functional nutrition are increasingly influencing NPD briefs. The question is no longer just about changing consumption patterns among users, but whether these shifts warrant broader strategic responses across product portfolios The Scale Reality: Small User Base, Outsized Influence In the UK, GLP-1 users have doubled from 2.3% to 4.1% of households in just one year , according to Kantar. A quarter of people say they would use GLP-1 drugs if offered free via the NHS . In Germany, around 8% of consumers have used prescription weight-los...