A new study has discovered another side effect of the new weight loss drugs ─ shrinking grocery bills. Researchers at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business found that people taking a GLP-1 obesity drug, such as Ozempic, saved money on food spending. Not only that, but consumers are spending less on processed food and buying more fresh produce and heart-healthy fare.

According to Newsweek, in households with at least one GLP-1 user, the savings amounted to 5.5% on groceries six months after taking the drugs. This is approximately a $416 annualized reduction in purchases. Households with higher incomes with at least one GLP-1 user reduced spending by 9%, amounting to an annualized reduction of $690, according to the study.

People earning more than $125,000 annually spent less on groceries than those with lower incomes. Not surprisingly, the survey noted a decrease in spending on chips, savory snacks and sweet bakery treats and a modest increase in purchasing yogurt, fresh produce and meat.

The study found that savings decreased after the initial six months but were still significant, according to the researchers. This could be due to “compliance challenges, waning drug efficacy, or measurement limitations,” wrote the authors of the study.

But the researchers found another surprising finding. People on the GLP-1 drugs were also spending less on staples such as cheese and eggs. With nearly 15 million adults in the U.S. taking GLP-1 medications, it appears that the types of food they are buying are changing, according to Food Dive.

“This suggests that the effects of GLP-1 adoption extend beyond discretionary, calorie-dense purchases and influence overall spending,” said study co-author Sylvia Hristakeva, an assistant professor of marketing at the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management within the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. She added that the 5.5% figure measures a decrease in overall household grocery spending and that individual savings may even be greater.

The findings echo previous reports by Walmart showing a “slight change” in grocery sales because of the popularity of weight loss drugs. Industry insiders say that companies may need to charge their marketing strategy to align with the changing consumer preferences.

“Companies relying heavily on calorie-dense processed products will likely reassess their product portfolios to remain competitive and adapt to these shifting consumption patterns,” said Hristakeva. Weight loss experts have chimed in on the positive aspects of the weight loss drugs not only in helping to reduce the epidemic of obesity in America — which dropped slightly in 2023 for the first time in a decade ─ but also to help shift consumer behavior, particularly in grocery and dining spending.