Heineken, the world's second-largest brewer, has warned British pubs and bars that the growing use of weight-loss drugs could cut beer and cider sales.
The company sent a presentation to UK hospitality customers this month stating that GLP-1 medications, including Ozempic and Wegovy, can reduce the desire to drink alcohol. This reduced consumption could lead to "fullness and fewer serves" of pints in pubs and bars, Heineken said.
The warning reflects concern among alcohol producers about the expanding market for weight-loss drugs. GLP-1 medications, originally developed for type 2 diabetes, have surged in popularity for weight management in recent years. The drugs work by suppressing appetite and slowing gastric emptying, effects that could logically extend to alcohol consumption.
Heineken's alert to UK hospitality venues suggests the brewer views this trend as a material business risk worth flagging to its customers. The presentation framed the issue as part of a broader landscape of challenges facing the pub and bar sector.
The source material does not indicate how large Heineken expects the impact to be, whether other brewers have issued similar warnings, or what specific data the company used to reach its conclusions about alcohol consumption among GLP-1 users.