A recent article in RetailDive.com reported on how the new weight-loss drugs are reshaping retail, and is poised to impact retailers beyond this surge in demand, disrupting assortment planning and exposing weakness in processes.
People using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs are buying new clothes, shoes, and more. As of last fall, nearly a quarter of U.S. households were using GLP-1 medications, and a vast majority say they expect to need new clothing as their size changes, according to research from Circana. More than half have already started shopping.
But the impact on retailers goes well beyond a one-time surge in demand. According to Meghann Martindale, director of market intelligence for retail at Avison Young, GLP-1 drugs are fueling what she calls a “body transformation economy.” This means retailers can expect a multiphase wardrobe refresh from customers throughout their weight-loss journey, not a single shopping trip.
Wellness Is Reshaping Consumer Behavior
The rise of weight-loss medications is part of a broader wellness movement. Consumers are increasingly seeking products and activities that support their overall health, including strength training and protein and firming products that address common side effects of GLP-1 use. This shift touches grocery, beauty, and dining, not just apparel.
Jessica Ramírez, co-founder and managing director of The Consumer Collective, puts it plainly: “It is a whole world that gets affected.”
Retailers who think about this trend purely in terms of demand are missing the bigger picture. According to Liza Amlani, principal at Retail Strategy Group, the risk is in oversimplifying the customer’s needs. “You can’t just start selling smaller sizes,” she said. “We’re finding that brands are doing a massive overcorrection in their offerings, where they are planning to eliminate extended sizing, because now everybody’s getting smaller. But that’s not the case at all.”
What This Means for Plus-Size Retailers
Plus-size retailers face a particular challenge. Destination XL reported a 7% sales decline in 2024, with executives attributing the drop largely to GLP-1 adoption. Torrid saw net sales fall more than 9% in the same period.
However, the picture is more nuanced than it first appears. Destination XL CEO Harvey Kanter noted that customers are not necessarily abandoning plus-size stores for mainstream ones. Many are simply pausing purchases while they figure out where their weight-loss journey will take them.
This creates an opportunity. Ramírez points out that plus-size customers are just as interested in wellness as anyone else, and many people who stop taking GLP-1 medications do regain weight. Retailers that meet customers where they are, across every phase of the process, will be better positioned for the long term.
