Fat jabs could lead to ‘plainer’ food on supermarket shelves as users are turned off by strong flavours, experts warn

FAT jabs could be about to change what’s on supermarket shelves, as experts warn the wildly popular weight-loss drugs are putting users off strong flavours and bold textures. New research suggests food and drink giants may need to start making “plainer” products to keep up with the millions of Britons now taking GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. A study by sensory and product testing experts MMR Research found that three in four users, 77%, say the jabs have changed how they experience food, putting them off certain tastes altogether. It comes as the first GLP-1 tablets have become available to buy in the UK, which experts believe could see even more people turning to the drugs. Sign up for the Money newsletter Thank you! The MMR study found 92% of people considering GLP-1s said they would be more likely to try them if there were fewer side effects or if they were cheaper and easier to get hold of. Researchers quizzed 974 UK adults who were either using, had used, or were considering the medication. Nearly a third, 29%, said their sense of taste had changed. Of those, 30% said they had gone off very fatty foods, while 29% could no longer stomach anything too sugary. Almost half, 45%, said sweet flavours suddenly felt far more intense than before. One in five users, 20%, said they now actively avoided certain textures in food altogether. Most read in Money Andrew Wardlaw, chief ideas officer at MMR Research, said manufacturers may need to rethink decades of food design. He said: “For decades, big flavours and bold textures have been seen as the winning formula when it comes to food. But for GLP-1 users, stronger flavours can be unpleasantly overwhelming.” He added: “To connect with them, brands might need to offer product experiences that feel balanced, controlled and easy to return to, or in other words, make them simpler, smaller and plainer. ‘The risk of course is that this could turn off people who aren’t taking the drugs.” Almost two thirds of current users, 63%, said their food cravings had reduced since starting the jabs. Wardlaw said this marks a major shift for the industry, adding: “What we’re potentially looking at here is the beginning of the end of craving.” He said brands would need to work harder to make food “worth it” for shoppers, warning: “Consumers may gain more control, but they can also lose some of the pleasure food and drink provides.” Comment now