GNC, the vitamin and dietary complement chain, has been struggling for years. The model hopes a brand new technique tailor-made to folks taking GLP-1 medicine for weight reduction will assist draw prospects into shops and develop its enterprise.
GNC introduced Monday that it was including a devoted part in its 2,300 US shops with nutritional vitamins, protein shakes and dietary supplements tailor-made to folks managing GLP-1 drugs equivalent to Ozempic and Wegovy. GNC can also be coaching retailer workers on widespread unwanted side effects of GLP-1s and merchandise the corporate is stocking for these points.
The total impression of GLP-1s – or glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists – on peoples’ well being stays unclear, however some folks have reported unwanted side effects equivalent to muscle loss and gastrointestinal issues. GNC is positioning its model as a retailer that may assist folks managing these points. Gyms, meals producers and retailers are adjusting their methods to reply to the rise of GLP-1s.
“You’re coping with GLP-1 unwanted side effects. Now what? We will help,” advertises an overhead banner in GNC’s new GLP-1 “assist part.”
Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk is reaping large earnings from creating and promoting the hit GLP-1 merchandise. Different giant pharmaceutical firms equivalent to Pfizer and Roche are racing to launch their variations to the market.
US well being care suppliers wrote greater than 9 million prescriptions for Wegovy and different injectable medicine used for weight reduction over the past three months of 2022 alone. JPMorgan researchers estimate that 30 million folks could also be taking GLP-1 medicine by 2030, or round 9% of the US inhabitants.
GNC, which filed for chapter in 2020 and closed greater than 1,200 shops, is the most recent model to construct a technique round folks taking GLP-1s.
WeightWatchers launched a brand new membership plan for those that offers members entry to docs who can prescribe these drugs. It additionally made a $100 million-plus deal to purchase Sequence, a telehealth enterprise that provides digital prescriptions to sufferers for these weight reduction medicine the place applicable.
Gyms are adjusting their methods as extra of their members take drugs for weight reduction. Luxurious gyms equivalent to Life Time are buying weight reduction clinics with docs who can prescribe GLP-1s, whereas Equinox debuted a private coaching program for members taking GLP-1s to protect muscle mass.
Meals firms are additionally bracing for GLP-1 shoppers to purchase fewer sugary snacks and drinks. JPMorgan final yr stated that present GLP-1 customers bought round 8% much less meals — together with snacks, gentle drinks and high-carb merchandise — over the prior yr, in contrast with shoppers who weren’t on these medicine.
Meals big Nestlé plans to make investments extra in nutritious merchandise that it says present “advantages” to folks on GLP-1 therapies, equivalent to its Opifast high-protein shakes.
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