The health risks of too much sugar have been made clear, but the billion-dollar global market to supply it is thriving. Sales of sweet treats remain strong, and waistlines keep expanding. Could weight-loss drugs now succeed where governments, scientists and doctors have failed: crushing demand for sugar?
So-called glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1s) contained in such drugs as Wegovy, Mounjaro and Ozempic curb users’ appetites and are being hailed as game changers for tackling obesity and potentially a range of other conditions, from diabetes to addiction. They could also lead to an upheaval in sugar markets.
Fears that Americans on GLP-1s will stop buying treats have already spooked businesses and investors. Mondelez and PepsiCo stocks took a hit after Walmart chief executive John Furner reported that customers on these drugs were buying fewer groceries. Hershey has also acknowledged experiencing a “mild impact” on sales, attributed to the growing use of GLP-1 medications.