Lindt says weight-loss drugs users are eating more chocolate, not less

By John Revill and ‌Danny Callaghan

KILCHBERG, Switzerland ​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 defied ⁠forecasts 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 Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's (NYSE: LLY) ​Mounjaro.

Consumers cutting back on high-calorie intake categories, such as pasta, pizza and potato chips, are still looking for some kind of indulgence, chief ⁠executive Adalbert Lechner told a news conference on Tuesday.

"They are upgrading to premium products. Less is ​more – small rewards with moment of bliss rather than mindless munching," said Lechner.

Lindt, which makes chocolate Easter bunnies, 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.

Lechner added that he does ​not see GLP-1 drugs as a threat to future business. He expects regulatory approvals in Europe, which are anticipated soon, to have a similar impact on consumer behaviour ‌as in the U.S.

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 John Revill in Kilchberg, writing by Danny Callaghan and Bernadette Hogg in GdanskEditing by Bernadette Baum and ‌Andrei Khalip)

---

Serious News for Serious Traders! Try StreetInsider.com Premium Free!

---

You May Also Be Interested In

• Most AI Drug Discovery Reads the Genetic Code. The Next Wave Is Learning to Read What the Code Actually Does.
• Canada's Unifor union, GM reach tentative agreements
• Paramount and California to hold preliminary talks on Warner Bros deal, NYT reports