Feb 27, 2025
At 63, Chicago trial attorney John Drews stood 5-foot-11 and weighed 287 pounds when his doctor warned him that his health was at serious risk if he didn’t make a change.
Determined to take action, he turned to blockbuster, celebrity-endorsed weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro. In his first year, he lost 25 pounds. By the following year, he had shed another 75, marking a total weight loss of 100 pounds.
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This change not only transformed his appearance but also reshaped his entire lifestyle. From his eating habits and wardrobe to his vacation choices, Drews has reinvented his daily routine, now spending more than $100,000 annually to support his new way of living.
“It’s a whole new life,” Drews told the Washington Post.
According to survey data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, 1 in 8 U.S. adults have used GLP-1 drugs, and more than 15 million people across the country are using them. GLP-1 agonists are a class of drugs that mimic hormones which signal fullness, helping to curb overeating.
But beyond weight loss, there is a less obvious side effect — unlocking Americans’ purchasing power. Evidence shows that those using Ozempic can overlap with what a group of analysts call “over consumers," a demographic known for high-spending habits.
By cutting daily calorie counts by 50% or more, these individuals are not only reshaping their bodies but also fueling increased spending.
The Ozempic diet
Drews’ financial game got as much of a workout as his body did. Instead of splurging on fast-food, he shifted his budget to invest in himself — a personal trainer at $140 an hour, twice a week, tallying up to roughly $3,000 a month on fitness.
As his eating habits became more deliberate, Drews traded drive-thru meals for whole foods like eggs, fresh fruit, salmon and nuts. In marketing terms, he’s now a “premium purchaser,” reallocating his spending from quantity to quality.
As KPMG consumer and retail strategy analyst Andrew Lindsay put it in a recent report about GLP-1, according to the Post article, “Why not buy filet mignon when you only have the appetite for a few ounces of steak?”
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Drews isn’t alone. A study from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business reveals that households with a diet pill user are also among the top 10% of those buying unhealthy foods. Yet, as these drugs foster healthier habits, companies reliant on impulse indulgences face risk.
But, while spending on junk is cooling off, consumers are reallocating funds elsewhere.
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The premium choice
An analysis by research firm Grocery Doppio reveals that in 2025, 63% of grocers plan to adjust their product assortments in response to the impact of GLP-1 medications on consumer spending habits. The shift could be driven by the fact that 97% of GLP-1 users reduced their grocery spending, with snacks, prepared foods and sodas taking the biggest hits.
But, while childhood favorites like chips and chocolate bars are being left off shopping lists, consumers aren’t necessarily spending less — they’re just spending differently. Sales of lean protein, for instance, have surged by 27% as shoppers prioritize higher-quality food choices.
For Drews, instead of reaching for a bag of chips, he’s splurging on premium meats — venison, bison and other high-protein, lean sources, including those flown in from Hawaii. His preference for top-tier protein comes at a cost: $31 per pound, compared to the $5 per pound he’d pay for ground beef at a local grocery store.
This shift shows the unexpected economic ripple effect of GLP-1 medications. Not only do they suppress appetites but they are also quietly unlocking purchasing power.
Instead of stretching paychecks across bulk snack packs, users are investing in lean protein and specialty items, an economic shift that could have lasting implications for both food retailers and consumer spending trends.
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Victoria Vesovski is a Toronto-based Staff Reporter at Moneywise, where she covers the intersection of personal finance, lifestyle and trending news. She holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Toronto, a postgraduate certificate in Publishing from Toronto Metropolitan University and a Master’s degree in American Journalism from New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Her work has been featured in publications including Apple News, Yahoo Finance, MSN Money, Her Campus Media and The Click.
