GLP-1 users cut grocery spending by 5.3% within six months — snack and soda sales are down 7-12%, while yogurt and protein are up
Health and wellness consumer spending statistics for 2026: the $6.8 trillion global wellness economy, its fastest-growing segments, and the measurable way GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are reshaping what wellness-focused consumers actually buy.
Updated September 22, 2026
Key findings
- Global wellness economy hit $6.8 trillion in 2024, forecast to reach $9.8 trillion by 2029 (7.6% CAGR), per the Global Wellness Institute — now 6.12% of global GDP, growing faster than the global economy itself (6.5%/year since 2013 vs. 3.2% global GDP growth).
- Wellness Real Estate (19.5% CAGR) and Mental Wellness (12.4% CAGR) are the fastest-growing of the wellness economy's eleven sectors, 2019-2024.
- About 12% of US adults (~10 million people) currently use GLP-1 medications, projected to reach 25 million by 2030; J.P. Morgan projects the global incretin/GLP-1 market could reach $200 billion annually by 2030.
- Within six months of starting a GLP-1 medication, households cut grocery spending by an average of 5.3% — more than 8% among higher-income households — per a Cornell University study of roughly 150,000 households' transaction data.
- GLP-1 adoption is reshaping category-level spending sharply: chips/savory snacks down roughly 10-11.5%, sweet bakery items down 8.5%, soft drinks down 6.8%, while yogurt, fresh produce, and meat snacks each posted small gains.
- Medicaid spending on GLP-1 medications grew from $1 billion in 2019 to $8.6 billion in 2024 — a 760% increase — while 43% of large US employers (5,000+ workers) now cover these medications.
The wellness economy keeps growing, but what counts as "wellness spending" is shifting under it in real time. Roughly one in eight US adults is now on a GLP-1 medication, and the clearest data available shows exactly how that's changing grocery carts — not as a vague wellness trend, but as a measured, category-by-category shift in what people buy. This page covers both stories: the overall scale of the wellness economy, and the specific, data-backed way GLP-1 adoption is reshaping consumer spending within it.
The wellness economy: $6.8 trillion in 2024, growing faster than global GDP
The Global Wellness Institute's 2025 Global Wellness Economy Monitor puts the wellness economy at a record $6.8 trillion in 2024, now representing 6.12% of global GDP. GWI forecasts the market will reach $9.8 trillion by 2029, a 7.6% compound annual growth rate — and notes the wellness economy has grown 6.5% annually since 2013, comfortably outpacing the 3.2% average growth of the global economy over the same period. Of the eleven wellness sectors GWI tracks, all have now fully recovered from pandemic-era disruption, with Wellness Real Estate (19.5% average annual growth, 2019-2024) and Mental Wellness (12.4%) the two fastest-growing segments.
GLP-1 adoption has gone mainstream
About 12% of US adults — roughly 10 million people — currently use GLP-1 medications for weight loss or related conditions, a figure some projections put at 25 million by 2030. J.P. Morgan analysis projects the global incretin market, which includes GLP-1 drugs, could grow to $200 billion annually by 2030. The spending behind that adoption has scaled just as fast on the payer side: Medicaid spending on GLP-1 medications grew from $1 billion in 2019 to $8.6 billion in 2024, a 760% increase, while GLP-1 prescription volume for obesity treatment specifically grew 587% over the same period. Employer coverage has expanded quickly too — 43% of large US employers (5,000 or more workers) now cover GLP-1 medications for their workforce.
What GLP-1 adoption actually does to a grocery bill
The clearest evidence on how GLP-1s are reshaping consumer spending comes from a Cornell University study published in the Journal of Marketing Research in December 2025, using Numerator transaction data covering roughly 150,000 households. Its headline finding: within six months of starting a GLP-1 medication, households reduce grocery spending by an average of 5.3% — a drop that climbs past 8% among higher-income households — with the effect persisting for at least a year among continuing users, though the size of the reduction eases somewhat over time.
| Category | Change in spending |
|---|---|
| Chips and savory snacks | −10% to −11.5% |
| Sweet bakery items | −8.5% |
| Cookies | −7.0% |
| Soft drinks | −6.8% |
| Candy and chocolate | −3.5% |
| Limited-service restaurants (fast food, coffee chains) | Reduced spending (no exact figure published) |
| Yogurt | +2.5% (largest increase) |
| Fresh produce | +1.5% |
| Meat snacks | +1.0% |
The pattern is consistent across both the McKinsey and Cornell analyses: categories built around high-volume, low-protein snacking see the sharpest declines, while high-protein, lower-calorie categories like yogurt and meat snacks see modest gains — a shift the McKinsey analysis summarizes as GLP-1 adoption materially altering "what people buy, how much they eat, and what they prioritize."
What this means for wellness and food brands
For brands in the health and wellness space, the practical takeaway isn't that the wellness economy is slowing — GWI's data says clearly it isn't — but that growth is concentrating in specific places: mental wellness, wellness real estate, and, within food and beverage specifically, high-protein and GLP-1-companion products rather than traditional snacking categories. That reallocation is exactly the kind of data-backed narrative shift that makes for a credible press story rather than a generic "wellness is booming" pitch, since it's grounded in a named academic study and a real behavioral mechanism rather than a survey of stated intentions.
Beacon builds data-led PR campaigns for health and wellness clients navigating exactly this kind of category shift — turning a real, citable behavioral trend like this one into press coverage rather than a generic wellness pitch. See how we approach campaigns in the health and wellness vertical, or book a free consultation.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the global wellness economy in 2026?
The Global Wellness Institute's most recent Global Wellness Economy Monitor puts the market at $6.8 trillion in 2024 (the latest year with full data), forecast to reach $9.8 trillion by 2029 — a 7.6% compound annual growth rate, and equivalent to 6.12% of global GDP.
What are the fastest-growing segments of the wellness economy?
Of the eleven wellness sectors the Global Wellness Institute tracks, Wellness Real Estate grew fastest at a 19.5% average annual rate from 2019-2024, followed by Mental Wellness at 12.4% — both outpacing the wellness economy's overall growth rate.
How many people use GLP-1 weight-loss drugs?
About 12% of US adults — roughly 10 million people — currently use a GLP-1 medication, with some projections estimating 25 million users by 2030. J.P. Morgan projects the global incretin market could reach $200 billion annually by that year.
How much do GLP-1 users cut their food spending?
A Cornell University study of roughly 150,000 households, published in the Journal of Marketing Research in December 2025, found households reduce grocery spending by an average of 5.3% within six months of starting a GLP-1 medication — more than 8% among higher-income households — with the effect persisting at least a year among continuing users.
Which food categories are losing the most to GLP-1 adoption?
Savory snacks like chips see the sharpest decline (roughly 10-11.5%), followed by sweet bakery items (8.5%), cookies (7.0%), and soft drinks (6.8%). Limited-service restaurants also see reduced spending from GLP-1 users, per the same research.
What food categories are gaining from GLP-1 adoption?
Yogurt, fresh produce, and meat snacks all saw modest spending increases among GLP-1 users — a pattern consistent with a shift toward higher-protein, lower-calorie foods as overall food volume decreases.
Methodology
Wellness economy figures are drawn from the Global Wellness Institute's published 2025 Global Wellness Economy Monitor. GLP-1 adoption and spending figures are drawn from published analysis by J.P. Morgan, Forbes Health, and a peer-reviewed Cornell University study using Numerator household transaction data, cited individually below. This page presents market and spending statistics only; it is not medical, dietary, or health guidance, and readers with questions about GLP-1 medications or their own health should consult a qualified healthcare provider. Percentage figures for category-level spending changes are as reported in the cited sources and have not been independently recalculated by Beacon Digital PR.
References
- Global Wellness Institute. (2025). 2025 Global Wellness Economy Monitor. https://globalwellnessinstitute.org/industry-research/2025-global-wellness-economy-monitor/
- Forbes Health. (2026). GLP-1 Statistics & Trends: Usage, Market Size, Pricing & Research. https://www.forbes.com/health/weight-loss/glp-1-statistics/
- McKinsey & Company. (2026). GLP-1s Bite Into Snack and Drink Sales. https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/week-in-charts/glp1s-bite-into-snack-and-drink-sales
- Food Business News. (2026). GLP-1 Users Cut Food Spending by 5.3%, reporting on a Cornell University study published in the Journal of Marketing Research (December 2025). https://www.foodbusinessnews.net/articles/29532-glp-1-users-cut-food-spending-by-53
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