The number of users of GLP-1 weight-loss medications tripled in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to analyst William Lindquist. He described the trend as increasing avalanche-like with no slowdown in sight. Today, 7.5% of Swedish households, equivalent to 350,000 households, use GLP-1 medications, Lindquist reported. Regional data shows dramatic increases, with sales of weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro rising by 126% in Norrbotten in 2025 compared to the previous year. In Halland, nearly 5,300 people picked up medication for obesity or overweight last year. Half of all patients who received weight-loss medication prescriptions in Kalmar County last year got them via online doctors, according to official sources.
The most prescribed weight-loss medications are GLP-1 analogs (semaglutide, liraglutide) that mimic the body's own gut hormones regulating appetite, official sources confirm. The most sold medication tirzepatide is closely related to GLP-1 analogs but works on two different hormone receptors GLP-1 and GIP, making it dual-acting. Results are achieved in combination with reduced calorie intake and increased physical activity. The proportion of patients achieving at least 5% weight loss or more is 86% for semaglutide and 96% for tirzepatide at maximum dose, according to official data.
I got the answer that these medications don't work, and then a note that basically said 'Weight Watchers'.
Weight-loss medications are not subsidized, and many patients pay for them out-of-pocket, official sources report. Carolina Almeborg pays 2,200 kronor per month for her weight-loss injections. According to SVT Småland, Carolina Almeborg described feeling poorly treated at her health center when seeking help for weight loss after a birth injury. She believes she will need to continue taking medication in some form for life. Jenny Vinglid says that most people with overweight must pay for the medications themselves, creating great frustration among their members.
Patient experiences highlight both benefits and advocacy for broader access. Cecilia Andersson lost 30 kilograms using weight-loss medication and thinks it's worth the money. According to Sveriges Radio Nyheter, Ylva Trolle Lagerros described weight-loss medication as a game changer and said more people should have access to the treatment.
You don't stop taking your blood pressure medication just because you've gotten normal blood pressure, because then it will become high again. And I unfortunately think the same way for my part. If I stop with the medications, the hunger will come back.
The increased use of appetite-suppressing medications could lead to dramatic revenue losses for grocery stores, according to William Lindquist. According to a study from the USA, people taking GLP-1 medications reduce their food expenses by over five percent, Lindquist noted. At current levels in Sweden, this would mean a sales loss in the grocery trade of 1.7 billion kronor each year, he described. According to TV4 Nyheterna, William Lindquist described Mars seeing GLP-1 as the strongest contributing cause to its decreased sales, mainly due to suppressed appetite and sugar cravings.
Broader consumption shifts are occurring with potential benefits. While categories like candy, soda, and ice cream seem hardest hit, other consumption such as fruits, vegetables, fashion, and home goods could be stimulated, Lindquist said. According to TV4 Nyheterna, William Lindquist described the medication not only dampening cravings for food and sweets, but alcohol consumption can also go down. He believes we will see a redistribution of spending. In the USA, restaurants offer Ozempic menus with smaller portions and food manufacturers launch frozen meals targeted at GLP-1 users, according to William Lindquist.
That's why it's a bit strange at a societal level if you highlight that overweight is such a costly health problem, not to go in and subsidize it when you see that it gives an incredibly good effect for so many.
Future trends point to continued growth and implications for pharmacies. Pharmacies could benefit as GLP-1 medications become more available, especially with a shift from injection to tablet form, Lindquist suggested. According to TV4 Nyheterna, William Lindquist described the shift from injection to tablet form opening up a much larger target group, which bodes well for pharmacies in the long term. He says that if 15% more households try GLP-1 medications, it will have large effects for large parts of Swedish trade. Specific policy changes to subsidize weight-loss medications in Sweden have not been detailed, and the total number of patients using them beyond household estimates remains unclear. Long-term health outcomes and side effects for extended use are not fully known, and national-level data on online versus traditional doctor prescriptions beyond Kalmar County is unavailable.
A game changer
It increases avalanche-like and there is no slowdown in sight, rather the opposite.
With the current level in Sweden, that would mean a sales loss in the grocery trade of 1.7 billion kronor each year.
Then it will have large effects for large parts of Swedish trade. The medication not only dampens the craving for food and sweets, but alcohol consumption can also go down.
In the USA, restaurants offer Ozempic menus with smaller portions and food manufacturers launch frozen meals targeted at GLP-1 users. Food companies see big changes.
Mars sees GLP-1 as the strongest contributing cause to its decreased sales. The reason is mainly suppressed appetite and sugar cravings.
If we calculate that food sales go down, we will have more money left for things like fruits and vegetables and healthier items. If we save money in the grocery trade, we can spend more on fashion and things for the home. I believe we will see a redistribution.
What we see now is that it goes from injection form to tablet form. That means you open up to a much larger target group. Many have injection phobia and find it easier to take tablets. That bodes well for pharmacies in the long term, even if we are in an early stage.