Walmart has revealed that consumers are buying less food thanks to the increasing popularity of ‘miracle drugs’ such as Ozempic, while restaurants are also reducing portion sizes.
The miracle weight loss drug has proven to be a hit among the wealthy, as healthcare providers in the US write more than nine million prescriptions for appetite suppressant medications during the last three months of 2022.
This figure has likely skyrocketed since then, as interest in drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy grew this year. Recent analysis suggests that as many as 15% of Americans – about 150 million people – have now tried the drugs.
Amid this rapidly rising trend, which shows no signs of stopping, retailers have already noticed a clear impact on the number of groceries and orders placed in restaurants.
New York socialite Libbie Mugrabi, 43, who takes Ozempic along with many of her friends, said their restaurant orders have become much more conservative.
New York socialite Libbie Mugrabi, 43, who uses Ozempic along with many of her friends, said their restaurant orders have become much more conservative thanks to the drug.
Sammy Muscovic, owner of Sojourn and Sojourn Social nearby, said the branches have started serving smaller versions of flagship meals, including fries-free burgers and three egg rolls for $8 instead of the standard $12 for five.
Top restauranteurs are also feeling the pressure of the changing habits of their shrinking customer base. “People have left a lot of food at the table,” said Thomas Makkos, the owner of Nello on Madison Avenue, New York
The ex-wife of billionaire art collector David Mugrabi said that during a recent trip to the chic new Caviar Kaspia on New York’s Upper East Side, her table of six ordered very little.
Mugrabi revealed that they had only ordered scrambled eggs with salmon, a crab salad and a $540 baked potato filled with osetra – one of the most expensive types of caviar – and that they had not even finished their meals.
Referring to the Ozempic jab, she told the New York Post: ‘I can’t even eat all the caviar, but that’s the point of the shot!’
Known as the “skinny jab,” Ozempic is the brand name for the diabetes drug semaglutide, which is taken as a weekly injection and has reportedly helped stars like Kim Kardashian and actress Christina Hendricks shed the pounds quickly.
Top restauranteurs are also feeling the pressure of the changing habits of their shrinking customer base.
“People have left a lot of food on the table,” Thomas Makkos, the owner of Nello on Madison Avenue, New York, told the Post.
Makkos revealed that the restaurant is now offering tapas-sized portions, as well as smaller versions of popular meals such as the Gnocchi Mona Lisa. The standard version of this meal costs $51, while a newly created, more modest version costs $39.
Known as the “skinny jab,” Ozempic is the brand name for the diabetes drug semaglutide, which is taken as a weekly injection and has reportedly helped stars like Kim Kardashian and actress Christina Hendricks shed the pounds quickly.
Kim Kardashian is said to use the miracle drug Ozempic to lose weight
For Walmart, Ozempic is a double-edged sword as they benefit from sales in their pharmacies as they see consumers spending less on food in-store
Several other Upper East Side restaurants are evolving in similar ways.
Sammy Muscovic, owner of Sojourn and Sojourn Social nearby, said the branches have started serving smaller versions of flagship meals, including burgers without fries and three egg rolls for $8 instead of $12 for five.
‘Customers say the food was great but they feel full. We don’t want them to be overwhelmed if they’re not hungry,” Muscovic told the Post.
David Tornek, CEO and founder of Meat Market, said he had to “double inventory across all locations” to meet Ozempic-driven demand for smaller meals.
The Florida-based steakhouse is now serving more and more 6-ounce petite filet mignons, with fewer orders for the 12-ounce version.
For Walmart, Ozempic is a double-edged sword because, as they benefit from sales in their pharmacies, they see consumers spending less on food in-store.
John Furner, CEO of the supermarket giant, said consumers are buying ‘fewer units’ while opting for foods with ‘slightly fewer calories’.
WEIGHT LOSS: Christina Hendricks posted a photo of her new figure after Ozempic
Billionaire Elon Musk, owner of Twitter, admitted that taking the drug helped him lose 30 pounds
“We’re definitely seeing a little bit of a change compared to the total population, we’re seeing a little bit of a decline in the total basket,” Furner told me. Bloomberg.
The retailer analyzes changes in consumer habits using anonymized data from people using Novo Nordisk A/S’s slimming drug and similar products.
Furner said it’s too early to come to a definitive conclusion about the impact of the diabetes drugs, but he notices a pattern.