PwC says 21% of US households now include a GLP-1 user, up from 9% in January 2025

Twenty-one percent of US households include someone currently taking a GLP-1 medication, up from 9% in January 2025, according to a PwC analysis of Numerator data published June 22, 2026 ^[1]. That is roughly one in five households, more than double the share the firm reported 16 months earlier.

The report also links GLP-1 use to changes in what households buy. Per-household grocery spending was down 5.5%, and quick-service restaurant spending was down 8.7% after six to eight months on the medication. Apparel spending moved the other way, up 9.9% over the same period ^[1]. PwC attributed the grocery decline to users swapping snacks, sugary drinks and alcohol for fresh produce, protein and supplements, and the apparel increase to changes in body size.

Inside those totals, the shifts are uneven. Among current users surveyed, 61% said they were buying fewer sweet treats and 56% fewer salty snacks, while 44% were buying more fresh produce, 35% more packaged protein and 34% more fresh protein. Sales of Greek yogurt were up 6.8%, jerky 7.9%, nutrition bars 3.4% and energy drinks 7.0% ^[1].

On restaurant spending, pizza was down 22.2%, chicken 11.6%, coffee and bakery 8.0%, burgers 6.4% and sandwich or deli items 4.5% ^[1]. Half of current and lapsed users surveyed said restaurants have not caught up to their needs. Thirty-five percent asked for smaller portions at proportionally lower prices, and 32% wanted half-portion or split-plate options without an extra charge ^[1].

Seventy-three percent of current users reported a meaningful change in clothing size, and 26% said they were spending more on clothing overall. Spending on women's jeans was up 66.1%, swimwear 31.1%, dresses 22.1% and jewelry 36.4% ^[1]. PwC noted that users often drop sizes faster than they buy new clothes because they do not know where their weight will settle.

The report describes a fragmented support system around the medication. Eighty percent of current users and 74% of lapsed users said they used at least one supporting product alongside treatment. Sixty-three percent said they got or planned to get their prescription from a primary care doctor, 10% from a specialist and 7% through telehealth. Twenty-seven percent of current users said they relied on friends or family for guidance, and just 9% said they used a GLP-1-specific app ^[1].

Roughly 85% of current users said companies were falling short of their needs, and 47% of current and lapsed users said they had not seen brands do anything meaningful. Only 23% said they felt well-supported by existing wellness platforms ^[1].

Why it matters for patients

The practical effect is that GLP-1 users are now a large enough group to change what stores, restaurants and clothing brands offer. If restaurant portion sizes, grocery product mixes or clothing return policies shift, that reflects this customer base rather than a clinical recommendation about the drugs.

The numbers describe spending, not outcomes. PwC did not report whether any of the supporting products users buy — supplements, protein foods, fitness programs or apps — help with weight loss, muscle retention or side effects, and it did not evaluate their safety. The report also did not break down results by specific medication, so it does not show how many of these households use semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus), tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) or other GLP-1 drugs.

One limitation is stated in the report itself: the survey was designed to compare GLP-1 consumer groups, not to represent all US consumers ^[1]. The 21% household figure comes from PwC's analysis of Numerator data, a separate dataset from the survey.

What was measured

PwC surveyed 3,089 consumers between May 4 and May 9, 2026, including 1,063 current GLP-1 users, 1,010 lapsed users and 1,016 people considering the drugs. The survey was conducted by Numerator, and the firm said some trends cited came from a separate 2024 dataset of 3,228 respondents ^[1].

Other findings: 54% of users surveyed in 2026 had been on a GLP-1 for more than a year, up from 38% in 2024, and 37% of current users were taking the drugs for weight loss alone, up from 24% in 2024 ^[1]. On exercise, 36% of current users had increased walking, running, cycling or swimming, while 14% had cut back on group fitness classes and 11% had increased them. Twenty-one percent had increased strength training, 17% had decreased it and 41% had never done it ^[1].