[Inside Chodong] The No-Hunger Games

Epe, a Domestically Developed Obesity Drug, Launches Today (29)
Food Consumption Set to Decline as Obesity Drug Market Grows
Time for Food Companies to Shed the "Main Cause of Obesity" Label

What the obesity drugs 'Moun-govi' (Mounjaro and Wegovy) have changed is not just the number before the decimal point on the scale. They are shaking up the consumer goods industry, reaching far beyond the dining table. The food industry, expected to take the most direct hit, is on edge. GLP-1 obesity drugs suppress appetite and prolong feelings of fullness, making a decline in food consumption inevitable. Indeed, according to a research paper titled "The No-Hunger Games," published in the American Marketing Journal, households with at least one GLP-1 user cut their grocery spending by 5.3% in the six months after starting treatment. Higher-income households cut spending even more, by 8.2%.

Epe, a domestically developed GLP-1 obesity drug launched by Hanmi Pharmaceutical on October 29, will further accelerate the shift toward a "small-meal society." The price for Epe's first four weeks of treatment was set at 130,000 won, half the price of Mounjaro. Epe's arrival is also likely to drive down the prices of existing obesity drugs, including Mounjaro. In other words, demand that had been held back by cost concerns could surge. Moreover, oral GLP-1 obesity drugs are also nearing launch, and use is likely to grow further as these drugs expand beyond diabetes and weight management to include reducing cardiovascular risk and treating sleep apnea, alcohol use disorder and cancer.

According to a report published by global accounting firm PwC, as of May 2026, 21% of U.S. households were using GLP-1 obesity drugs, more than double the 9% recorded in January 2025. The figure was based on a survey of 3,089 consumers. The survey also found that grocery spending per household had fallen by 5.5%.

Interestingly, consumers cut back on snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol, while increasing purchases of produce, protein and protein supplements. Among GLP-1 users, 61% said they bought fewer sweet snacks, while 10% said they had stopped buying them altogether. In addition, 16% said they no longer bought sugar-sweetened beverages, and 12% said the same of alcohol. Household spending at quick-service restaurants (QSRs) fell by 8.7%, with consumption declining for pizza (22.2%), chicken (11.6%), coffee and bakery items (8.0%), and hamburgers (6.4%), in that order. By contrast, 45% said they bought more fresh foods than before, and 35% reported increased consumption of processed protein foods. Purchases of Greek yogurt (6.8%), beef jerky (7.9%) and energy drinks (7%) also increased.

This trend can also be seen in the performance of domestic food companies. In the second quarter of 2026, Lotte Wellfood's gum and candy revenue and sales volume fell year over year by 3% and about 300 tons, respectively. During the same period, revenue from biscuits and chocolate rose 9.34% to 398 billion won, but domestic sales volume actually edged down by 116 tons. This came after the company raised product prices last year in response to a sharp rise in cocoa prices, while cocoa prices fell substantially this year.

They say every crisis brings opportunity. As demand for high-calorie snacks and large-sized products declines, products that provide sufficient nutrition in smaller portions will gain a competitive edge. Companies that do a better job of making foods fortified with protein and dietary fiber, as well as products lower in sugar and sodium, will have an opportunity to grow. Restaurants and delivery services will also need to adjust meal portions and order combinations. In the PwC survey, 35% of respondents said they wanted smaller portions at lower prices.

In an era when people are not hungry, the food industry must prepare for a future in which people eat more healthfully.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.