By Danny Callaghan and Bernadette Hogg
March 10 (Reuters) – Chocolate sales are rising faster among U.S. users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs than in the rest of the population, Swiss chocolatier Lindt & Spruengli said on Tuesday, citing data that went against expectations the drugs would reduce confectionery demand.
The company said an internal study, based on February data from market researcher Circana, found 15% of U.S. households use GLP-1s, representing 17.5% of chocolate sales. GLP-1s include weight-loss drugs such as Ozempic and Mounjaro.
Lindt, maker of chocolate Easter bunnies, also said U.S. sales of premium chocolate increased among GLP-1 users by nearly 17% in 2025, compared to a 6.5% rise among non-GLP-1 users.
Analysts at Berenberg had expected the introduction of oral GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to have an adverse effect on the food industry, particularly confectionery, over the next few years. They anticipated a drag on sales volumes of 0.9 percentage point for Lindt in 2027.
GLP-1 pills are predicted to expand the use of the drugs to patients beyond the users of injectables, including more men and younger patients, as the oral drugs are projected to provide less drastic weight loss than their injectable counterparts.
(Reporting by Danny Callaghan and Bernadette HoggEditing by Bernadette Baum)
