The rise of appetite\u2011suppressing drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy isn\u2019t just shrinking their tens of millions of users worldwide, it\u2019s reshaping consumption habits.<\/p>\n
That, in turn, is forcing food and beverage brands to rethink and redesign their output.<\/p>\n
When people suddenly want less food but better nutrition, it forces companies to reconsider everything from product development to packaging design and information hierarchies.<\/p>\n
Forget supersized portions \u2013 these future consumers will crave smaller, smarter meals they can actually finish without waste or guilt. Appetite\u2011suppressing drugs are causing palates to shift, with less tolerance for ultra\u2011sweet or greasy foods.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s an interesting creative opportunity from an emergent F&B design perspective.<\/p>\n
Cleaner, simpler recipes create space to move away from diet\u2011style medical checklists and clinical language, or the samey, personality\u2011driven brands of past decades that have filled the lifestyle FMCG aisles.<\/p>\n
Examples include brands like Huel, and similar wellness players, that balance aspirational lifestyle messaging with listed product benefits; protein and fitness brands that rely heavily on influencer partnerships and \u201ctransformation\u201d messaging; probiotics and kombuchas covered in wellness symbolism; and snack bar brands that use similar fonts, earth\u2011tone aesthetics, and wellness buzzwords.<\/p>\n
Now, consumers are making room for more authentic and appetising design language. This opens up a chance to rethink category codes and come up with new expressions.<\/p>\n
Communicating clear signals of health, satisfaction, and support \u2013 while remaining desirable and appetising \u2013 will be critical as brands audit their portfolios and prioritise reformulations.<\/p>\n
Back to today, and quick off the mark, Nestl\u00e9 is launching Vital Pursuit frozen meals specifically tailored for GLP\u20111 users. In the US, Conagra is adding \u201cGLP\u20111 friendly\u201d labels to Healthy Choice trays to highlight high\u2011protein, portion\u2011controlled meals.<\/p>\n
Daily Harvest is curating dedicated \u201cGLP\u20111 Companion\u201d meal collections rich in fibre and nutrients.<\/p>\n
For brands in this space, future KPIs will include:<\/p>\n
Catering to smaller portions with right\u2011sized formats.
\nOffering no\u2011prep, easy\u2011to\u2011track meals that help audiences manage intake precisely.
\nBuilding dedicated sub\u2011brands.
\nLeveraging on\u2011pack cues and digital education.
\nPrioritising cleaner labels and simpler ingredient lists in offerings such as single\u2011serve lines and mini snacks.<\/p>\n
Restaurants are also seeing smaller orders, with discussions about the need to include \u201csemaglutide sections\u201d or small\u2011plate menus that cater to customers on weight\u2011loss medication.<\/p>\n
Heston Blumenthal, himself a user of Mounjaro, spoke recently about launching a \u201cmindfulness menu\u201d where customers get the same amount of food and theatrics, just in much smaller portions \u2013 every dish one\u2011half to one\u2011third the size of a tasting menu.<\/p>\n
As he told The Times<\/em>:, \u201cMy staff and I have noticed a shift in eating habits\u2026. Customers aren\u2019t finishing their food like they used to. Weight\u2011loss medication hasn\u2019t ruined my enjoyment of food, I just eat less of it.\u201d<\/p>\n European chains like LEON, Pret a Manger, and EXKi already emphasise nutrient\u2011rich meals with clear calorie labelling.<\/p>\n In the UK, brands like GAIL\u2019s Bakery and Joe & The Juice focus on smaller, premium\u2011quality offerings that support the \u201cless but better\u201d mindset. In the US, chains such as Sweetgreen, CAVA, and Chipotle are well\u2011positioned for this shift, thanks to customisable, portion\u2011controlled meals with more transparent nutrition.<\/p>\n Operators are rethinking menus to offer flexible combinations, half\u2011portions, and health\u2011forward cues without sacrificing either experience or revenue.<\/p>\n For fast\u2011casual dining chains, convenience will continue to be king. With less attention dedicated to food as an indulgent ritual, ready\u2011to\u2011drink shakes, single\u2011serve bowls, and no\u2011prep solutions can make portion control increasingly effortless.<\/p>\n This means outlets will need to apply more sophisticated design thinking to smaller portions by:<\/p>\n Right\u2011sizing packaging to avoid making portions look inadequate. As Blumenthal says, \u201cFor us, less food doesn\u2019t mean lower cost because you still need the exact same ingredients and number of staff to make it.\u201d<\/p>\n The connection to the booming health and wellness sector has also been seized by a previously ailing WeightWatchers (WW). The slimming club is repositioning itself not only to integrate GLP\u20111 prescriptions but also to launch customised nutrition and behaviour plans to support women through menopause.<\/p>\n This signals a shift from diet\u2011focused to medical\u2011adjacent branding, which will have design implications, like moving away from traditional \u201cweight loss\u201d imagery and language, defining next\u2011generation medical credibility with approachable, supportive aesthetics and developing sub\u2011brands or product lines that feel less stigmatised.<\/p>\n For the beverage category, shifts are concerning: multiple sources report that people are drinking significantly less \u2013 or sometimes stopping altogether \u2013 which is a real threat for the social\u2011drinking category at large.<\/p>\n The Guardian<\/em> noted \u201cteetotal\u201d shifts in GLP\u20111 users threatening drinks companies. Forecasts predict a 4% volume decline in alcohol and soft drink categories over the next decade. This presents a clear opportunity to innovate in premium low\u2011 and no\u2011alcohol alternatives, adult soft drinks, using mindful consumption cues aligned with a more health\u2011conscious, lower\u2011appetite lifestyle.<\/p>\n These innovations could adopt more sophisticated aesthetics that compete with premium spirits and clearly differentiate from traditional soft drinks through:<\/p>\n Premium packaging materials and finishes (embossed labels, textured bottles, distinctive closures). For brands, semaglutide\u2019s growth is both a challenge and an opportunity. They need to build trust with consumers navigating smaller appetites in an overwhelming food landscape.<\/p>\n Design\u2019s future role will be crucial in balancing \u201cless food\u201d with \u201cmore meaning.\u201d<\/p>\n This includes building trust through authentic, non\u2011medical visual languages, supporting new portion psychology by making smaller amounts feel satisfying and complete and communicating nutritional transparency without clinical coldness.<\/p>\n The challenge will be to redefine categories by breaking away from outdated diet\/wellness visual codes, design consumption journeys that feel intentional and premium rather than restrictive, innovate with materials and finishes that signal quality over quantity.<\/p>\n And brands will need to clarify information hierarchies so nutrition communication is accessible without intimidation, telling authentic brand stories around mindful consumption rather than restriction.<\/p>\n The brands that win won\u2019t just sell less food \u2013 they\u2019ll deliver more purpose, and potential for a healthy life in every bite.<\/p>\n Sophie Maxwell is strategy partner at WeWantMore<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n
\nCreating premium positioning through materials and finishes.
\nDeveloping modular packaging systems for customisable combinations.
\nDesigning clear nutritional communication without clinical overtones.
\nnnovating in portion visualisation so customers feel satisfied, not shortchanged.<\/p>\nGlass half full<\/h5>\n
\nRitual\u2011focused packaging that maintains the ceremonial aspects of drinking.
\nTransparent labelling of functional benefits (adaptogens, nootropics, etc.).
\nColour palettes moving away from primary brights toward muted, sophisticated tones.
\nTypography that feels crafted rather than mass\u2011produced.<\/p>\n\u201cLess food, more meaning\u201d<\/h5>\n