The rise of weight-loss medications is no longer a distant pharmaceutical trend—it’s reshaping how Australians eat, and the restaurant industry needs to pay attention.
Recent research from Rabobank reveals that close to half a million people, or approximately 2% of the adult population, currently use GLP-1-style medications for both medical and weight loss purposes in Australia. While that figure may seem modest, it represents a critical mass that’s already influencing mainstream food demand.
The implications for restaurants are profound and multifaceted. These aren’t simply customers eating less—they’re eating fundamentally differently.
Less food, different choices
According to Stefan Vogel, RaboResearch Australia general manager, appetite suppression reduces overall food intake and makes portion-controlled, nutrient-dense foods more sought after.
Meanwhile, altered taste perception reduces taste sensitivity and dulls cravings, shifting indulgence away from pure flavour intensity towards multi-sensory experiences where texture, aroma and visual appeal play a bigger role in delivering satisfaction.
For restaurants, this means the traditional playbook of large portions and flavour-bomb dishes may no longer resonate with a growing segment of diners.
The data is striking. An extensive US-based study indicated households with at least one GLP-1 user reduced their grocery spending by approximately 6% within six months of adoption. While that’s grocery data, the pattern holds implications for dining out.
Winners and losers on the menu
Purchases of calorie-dense, processed items – such as chips, sweet bakery goods and soft drinks – declined significantly, while spending on high-protein dairy products, fresh produce and nutrition bars showed modest increases, Vogel said.
For Australian restaurants, this creates both challenge and opportunity. Weight loss due to these medications comes with muscle loss, which can be countered by increased protein intake, leading to greater demand for high-protein food, particularly dairy products and nutrition bars, as well as fresh produce.
Vogel notes that sugar, wine, and beer producers would be most negatively impacted by changed food consumption patterns, while studies show that consumer spending on meat and eggs also fell in line with reduced grocery spending among medication users.
The winners are producers of fresh produce, high-protein foods, and food supplements, he said.
Perhaps most interesting for restaurateurs is how satisfaction itself is changing. When taste sensitivity dulls, the entire dining experience—from plating to atmosphere—takes on greater importance in justifying the visit.
Growing demand drivers
The demand for protein among GLP-1 users is being fuelled by its role in satiety, metabolic health, and muscle preservation, Vogel said. Yoghurts, prebiotics, and probiotics are also sought to improve food tolerance and enhance digestive wellness, which can be an issue for those taking these medications.
While half of these sales are subsidised by the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, for example, to treat diabetes, it is the private sector sales targeting weight loss that are showing the most significant rate of growth, Vogel notes.
Not a passing trend
While adoption patterns are still evolving, multiple factors suggest this shift is permanent and accelerating. Costs are falling, pill forms are becoming available, and health insurance coverage is expanding.
For Australia’s restaurant industry, the message is clear: adapt or risk irrelevance with a growing customer segment. The restaurants that will thrive are those that recognise this isn’t about catering to a niche diet—it’s about understanding a fundamental shift in how a significant portion of Australians will relate to food.
