The number of users of GLP-1 weight-loss medications tripled in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to analyst William Lindquist. Sales of weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro increased by 126% in Norrbotten in 2025 compared to the previous year. Today, 7.5% of Swedish households, equivalent to 350,000 households, use GLP-1 medications, according to William Lindquist. An additional 15% of Swedes are interested in trying GLP-1 medications, he reported. Overweight and obesity are increasing across the country, including in Norrbotten, where levels are higher than the national average.
Access to these medications remains a hurdle for many. Half of all patients who were prescribed weight-loss medication last year in Kalmar County received it via online doctors, according to official sources. Weight-loss medications are not subsidized, and many patients pay for them out of pocket, officials confirmed. Jenny Vinglid at the National Association for Obesity says that today most people with overweight must pay for the medications themselves, which creates great frustration among their members.
It's increasing avalanche-like and there's no slowdown in sight, rather the opposite.
The most sold weight-loss medication tirzepatid is closely related to GLP-1 analogs but acts on two different hormone receptors GLP-1 and GIP, making it dual-acting, according to official sources. GLP-1 analogs increase insulin release, slow stomach emptying, and send signals to the brain that one is full, officials explained. The proportion of patients who achieve at least 5% weight loss or more is 86% for semaglutid and 96% for tirzepatid at maximum dose, officials reported. Weight-loss results are achieved in combination with reduced calorie intake and increased physical activity, they noted.
The economic impact of this medical shift is becoming apparent. 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, he said. At the current level in Sweden, reduced food expenses due to GLP-1 medications would mean a sales loss in the grocery trade of 1.7 billion kronor annually, according to William Lindquist. Mars sees GLP-1 as the strongest contributing cause to its decreased sales, mainly due to suppressed appetite and sugar cravings, he reported. While categories like candy, soda, and ice cream seem hardest hit, other consumption such as fruits and vegetables could be stimulated, according to William Lindquist.
With the current level in Sweden, that would mean a sales loss in the grocery trade of 1.7 billion kronor every year.
Businesses are beginning to adapt to these changing consumption patterns. In the USA, restaurants offer Ozempic menus with smaller portions and food producers launch frozen meals targeted at GLP-1 users, according to TV4 Nyheterna, where William Lindquist described these developments. Pharmacies could benefit as GLP-1 medications become more available, especially with a shift from injection to tablet form, according to William Lindquist.
Patients like Carolina Almeborg in Kalmar illustrate the personal journey with these drugs. She has long run a body-positive social media account with the message that it's okay to have a larger body, but after a childbirth injury she was advised to lose weight to rehabilitate better, according to official sources. She first turned to her health center but felt poorly treated, officials reported. She pays 2200 kronor per month for her weight-loss injections, which are taken once a week, officials confirmed. She believes she will need to continue taking medication in some form for life, according to official sources.
Then it will have big effects for large parts of Swedish trade. The medication doesn't just dampen the craving for food and sweets, alcohol consumption can also go down.
Medical experts advocate for broader access. Ylva Trolle Lagerros, professor at Karolinska Institutet and senior physician at the Center for Obesity, says the medication has been a 'game changer' and that more people should have access to the treatment.
In the USA, restaurants offer Ozempic menus with smaller portions and food producers 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 dampened appetite and sugar cravings.
If we calculate that the sales of food go down, we'll have more money left for example fruits and vegetables and healthier things. If we save money within the grocery trade, we can spend more on fashion and things for the home. I think we'll see a redistribution.
What we see now is that it's going from injection form to tablet form. That means you open up to a much larger target group. Many have needle 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.