$200 Billion Obesity Drug Market in 4 Years... Dining Out to Drop 45% and Food Industry Landscape to Change

Number of Users in the US Alone Expected to Surpass 30 Million

The global proliferation of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) class obesity treatments is fundamentally reshaping the landscape of the food and dining industries. As the market for these related therapies is projected to expand to USD 200 billion (approximately KRW 301 trillion) by 2030, the global food and beverage industries are expected to suffer astronomical revenue losses due to the appetite suppression and dietary changes among medication users.

According to data released on March 26 by the Bioeconomy Research Center of the Korea Biotechnology Industry Organization, the market for incretin-based therapies such as GLP-1 is expected to grow to about USD 200 billion by 2030. During the same period, the number of GLP-1 users in the United States alone is estimated to surge to as many as 30 million. This worldwide spread of obesity treatments is directly translating into changes in consumer eating and drinking patterns.

Eli Lilly's obesity treatment drug "Mounjaro (active ingredient: Tirzepatide)." Eli Lilly

Market analysis suggests that the spread of GLP-1 could lead to a massive annual revenue decline in the global food and beverage industry, ranging from USD 30 billion (about KRW 45.189 trillion) to as much as USD 55 billion (about KRW 82.8465 trillion) between 2030 and 2034. It is estimated that consumer calorie intake will decrease by around 21%. In fact, about half of users have experienced a reduction in calorie intake, and this group has shown a marked increase in the consumption of health-oriented foods such as yogurt and nuts, instead of their previous diets.

The impact on the dining industry is expected to be even more direct. Depending on the types of food and consumption scenarios, dining out frequency could plummet by up to 45%. Major food and dining companies, sensing the crisis, are rapidly revising their strategies. They are shifting product lineups away from traditional high-calorie snacks toward protein- and fiber-focused offerings, and are increasingly introducing smaller portion menus to target consumers who are eating less, signaling a comprehensive overhaul of business strategies across the industry.

The high price barrier of obesity treatments is also emerging as a new social issue. The report notes, "Currently, in many countries, national health insurance coverage for obesity treatments is limited, so uptake is mainly increasing among paying customers with the economic means to afford the expensive medications." It continues, "As a result, there is growing concern that a 'two-tier society'—in which the health gap between the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' becomes stark—could become entrenched in the future."

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