Quarter of people on weight-loss drugs eat out less frequently, survey shows

More than a quarter (28%) of people using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs have said they eat out or order a takeaway less frequently, according to a recent survey.

RSM UK’s survey, conducted by global insights business 3Gem among 2,000 consumers last month, revealed that over two-fifths (45%) of GLP-1 users eat smaller portions, while a third (32%) drink less alcohol.

In addition, nearly four in 10 (39%) said they snack less frequently and almost a third (£29%) said they would spend more on healthier options.

Almost a fifth (19%) of consumers have used GLPs or are currently using them. This figure is 36% for Gen Z and 30% for millennials.

Saxon Moseley, head of leisure and hospitality at RSM UK, said: “This drive towards healthy options is not new. However, the increased use of GLPs has accelerated this trend so operators are needing to re-engineer menus – whether it’s providing healthy or protein-rich options, offering more low- and no-alcohol options or incorporating small plates.

“However, restaurants achieve higher margins on starters, desserts and alcohol. If consumers are drinking less and skipping courses, the squeeze on the bottom line will be particularly acute even if cover numbers don’t change significantly. Operators will need to adapt quickly to preserve margins and capitalise on this growing health trend, particularly as the first daily weight loss pill launched yesterday in the UK, and is set to accelerate demand further.”

In September 2025, analytics company KAM Insight reported that around 4%-7% of UK adults were using GLP-1, having acknowledged that the usage of these drugs across the UK had doubled in one year.

Weight loss drugs, such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro, contain glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which was originally used to treat Type 2 diabetes. A weekly injection of the substance mimics the natural GLP-1 hormone, leading to longer feelings of fullness, slower digestion and smaller appetites.

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