Eating Differently
Christmas 2025 is quietly becoming the first “Ozempic Christmas.” The Independent’s reporter sits through a GLP‑1‑friendly festive menu in London and lives to write about it. It consisted of wafer‑thin beetroot, six cubes of tempeh, two slices of clementine in chocolate, and leaves the diner hungry but enlightened. The point of the pop‑up wasn’t to punish diners; it was to show how people on Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro can eat far less food without giving up flavor, ritual or pleasure. GLP‑1s blunt appetite and make rich, heavy food uncomfortable, so the traditional mountain of roast potatoes and pudding is giving way to smaller, sharper, more intentional plates.
Chef Jack Stein’s menu is appears to be a live brief for the food industry. Instead of butter and cream, he builds flavor with “hidden secrets” like Marmite, soy sauce and Chinese black vinegar, pushing umami and acidity so tiny portions still feel special. Nutritionists quoted in the piece stress that a classic Christmas dinner is not inherently “bad”, vegetables, lean protein and starchy carbs are fine, but for GLP‑1 users, the portion size and richness have to come down. Many patients, like TikToker Leanne Richardson, are planning to eat the same foods as before, just less of them and with more deliberate pacing. That is the through‑line: moderation as a medical side effect, not a moral resolution.
This Christmas table is a microcosm of a much larger shift that’s already showing up in grocery data. In the U.S., early analyses suggest households with a GLP‑1 user are trimming overall food volume, particularly in high‑calorie, low‑satiety categories like snacks, sweets and sugary drinks. Several forecasts now estimate that by 2030, GLP‑1 users and their households could account for roughly a third of food and beverage sales, even as they buy fewer calories per person. Retailers like Walmart have already flagged softer demand in indulgent categories in markets where GLP‑1 adoption is highest. The logic is simple: if you are physically less hungry and get nauseous from overeating, you stop “stocking for binges.”
For grocers, that means the old model of driving growth through bulk and impulse, multi‑buy crisps, supersized confectionery, deep‑discount soda, becomes structurally weaker. Morally this is a good thing I think. Analysts see consistent volume pressure on snacks, baked treats and sugary beverages as GLP‑1 penetration rises, even when total CPG spend in dollars holds roughly flat because shoppers trade up to more premium, functional products. At the same time, categories that support satiety and health, which might include high‑protein foods, low‑sugar drinks, fibre‑rich and “gut health” products, ready‑to‑eat balanced meals, gain share in GLP‑1 households. The spending mix shifts from “more of everything” to “less, but better.”
For CPG brands, the Independent’s tasting‑menu Christmas is a preview of the next product brief. Portion‑controlled, nutrient‑dense, flavor‑intense becomes more attractive than sheer size. Snack makers are experimenting with smaller packs, higher protein and fibre, and clearer functional claims to stay relevant when mindless grazing declines. Beverage companies are expanding low‑ and no‑sugar lines and positioning them around satiety, hydration and metabolic health rather than indulgence alone. Consultants and strategists are already urging brands to treat GLP‑1 users as a distinct segment: they may eat fewer units, but they over‑index on willingness to pay for products that support weight loss, energy and control.
The social dynamics around food are shifting, too, and retailers ignore that at their peril. Nutritionists in the article note that GLP‑1 users often feel self‑conscious eating smaller portions or skipping alcohol, while relatives can feel judged or unsettled by the new restraint. Their advice, serve family‑style, normalize flexible portions, and frame moderation as health rather than moral virtue, doubles as guidance for how stores should merchandise and message. End‑caps built around “lighter celebrations,” mixed baskets of indulgence and restraint, and language that supports boundaries instead of shame will resonate in a world where millions of shoppers are literally less hungry.
In other words, the beetroot and two‑slice clementine dessert are not just a quirky London story; they are an early snapshot of a GLP‑1 food economy. As these drugs move from niche to mainstream, grocery and CPG growth will depend less on stuffing cupboards and more on helping people feel satisfied with smaller, smarter choices. The brands that win will think like Jack Stein did at that Ozempic Christmas: assume the portion is tiny, assume the appetite is muted — then design the product, flavor and experience so it still feels absolutely worth sitting down for.