• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

3

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'

1

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 

2

Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics

3

Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
LifestyleFood and drink

Weight-loss-aiding drugs Ozempic and Wegovy are dampening food sales, top Walmart exec says

By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Chloe Taylor
Chloe Taylor
Down Arrow Button Icon
October 5, 2023, 7:18 AM ET
Wegovy shots seen in a factory setting.
Ozempic and Wegovy are dampening food sales, Walmart’s John Furner has said.Michael Siluk—UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

The success of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy in treating weight loss could be driving Americans to spend less money on food, a top Walmart executive has said.

Recommended Video

“We definitely do see a slight change compared to the total population; we do see a slight pullback in overall basket,” John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart’s U.S. operations, said in an interview with Bloomberg on Wednesday. “Just less units, slightly less calories.”

The grocery giant is using anonymized shopper data to analyze how the spending habits of people taking appetite suppressants like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy are changing.

Ozempic—designed and approved to help people manage Type 2 diabetes symptoms—has not formally been approved for use as a weight loss medicine, but has been hailed a “miracle” intervention for people struggling with obesity. Scientists are currently testing the drug’s efficacy as a treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction.

The drug, which helps people feel more full and therefore reduce their caloric intake, is administered as a shot, and costs around $900 a month without insurance in the United States.

Demand for Ozempic has been so high that some people living with Type 2 diabetes who could benefit from using the drug have been unable to acquire it, charities have warned.

However, the drug’s popularity has translated to a bolstered bottom line for Novo Nordisk this year, helping the company become a serious contender for the title of Europe’s most valuable public firm. The pharmaceutical giant, which took the crown from luxury goods behemoth LVMH last month, currently has a mammoth market cap of around $376 billion.

Wegovy, also manufactured by Novo Nordisk, helped set the company on that trajectory as well.  

In clinical trials, weekly doses of semaglutide—the medication sold under the brand names Ozempic and Wegovy—helped participants decrease their body weight by 15%. However, experts have warned that the weight loss could be difficult to maintain after stopping use of the drugs.

While Furner told Bloomberg on Wednesday that Walmart was seeing tentative signs of the drugs feeding into consumer preferences, he stressed that it was too early to draw definitive results from the company’s analysis.

The retailer—which is America’s biggest employer and has topped the Fortune 500 for the past 11 years—sells GLP-1 drugs through its pharmacies. The category, which includes medicines like Ozempic, saw U.S. sales skyrocket 300% between 2020 and 2022, a recent report from Trilliant Health found.

Under fire in the past

Walmart has come under fire in the past for—its critics say—playing a role in exacerbating America’s obesity epidemic.

A 2015 report from the National Bureau of Economic Research said certain retailers, and Walmart in particular, had made it easier for Americans to overeat by making cheap junk food readily available in bulk-size quantities.

The company said at the time that the report’s authors had not considered initiatives it had put in place to encourage healthy diet choices.

A spokesperson for drug manufacturer Novo Nordisk did not respond to Fortune’s questions about Furner’s comments.

However, Furner isn’t the first market watcher to suggest the success of drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could act as a catalyst for change when it comes to consumer spending habits.

Earlier this week, strategists at Barclays said the drugs have so much promise as weight-loss aids that investors should short junk-food stocks.

Join us at the Fortune Workplace Innovation Summit May 19–20, 2026, in Atlanta. The next era of workplace innovation is here—and the old playbook is being rewritten. At this exclusive, high-energy event, the world’s most innovative leaders will convene to explore how AI, humanity, and strategy converge to redefine, again, the future of work. Register now.
About the Author
By Chloe Taylor
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Lifestyle

Clinical Psychologist Daniel Wendler
ConferencesWorkplace Innovation Summit
A ‘proudly autistic’ workplace expert says putting neurodivergent employees in a typical office is like dropping a polar bear in Austin, Texas
By Tristan BoveMay 20, 2026
6 hours ago
A dating expert says ghosting and quiet quitting are the same problem at their core, and corporate life has more to learn from romance than it admits
Workplace CultureWorkplace Innovation Summit
A dating expert says ghosting and quiet quitting are the same problem at their core, and corporate life has more to learn from romance than it admits
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 20, 2026
7 hours ago
Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro Review (2026): Is It Right for You?
HealthDietary Supplements
Sun Home Cold Plunge Pro Review (2026): Is It Right for You?
By Emily PharesMay 20, 2026
9 hours ago
target
Retailearnings
Target posts biggest jump in comparable sales in 4 years as turnaround takes shape
By Anne D'Innocenzio and The Associated PressMay 20, 2026
11 hours ago
TSA’s new ‘straight to gate’ pilot lets Delta and JetBlue flyers clear security 25 miles before they reach the airport
Travel & LeisureTSA
TSA’s new ‘straight to gate’ pilot lets Delta and JetBlue flyers clear security 25 miles before they reach the airport
By Dave Lozo and Morning BrewMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
david hassell
Future of WorkWorkplace Innovation Summit
CEO of AI-powered performance review firm says annual evaluations weren’t designed for the AI era: ‘The practice just hasn’t kept up’
By Jake AngeloMay 19, 2026
1 day ago

Most Popular

Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
Workplace Culture
Bolt CEO says he let go of his entire HR team for creating problems that didn’t exist: ‘Those problems disappeared when I let them go’ 
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
1 day ago
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
Future of Work
Meet a 21-year-old community college student who's going to China as the first American woman welder in the trades Olympics
By Mike Householder and The Associated PressMay 17, 2026
3 days ago
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
Success
Despite a $500 million net worth, Shaq just finished his fourth degree. He warns graduates: 'Your character will take you further than your resume'
By Preston ForeMay 20, 2026
11 hours ago
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
Politics
The Bezos family just donated $100 million to help achieve one of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s top campaign promises
By Jake AngeloMay 12, 2026
8 days ago
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
Travel & Leisure
Spirit Airlines apologizes to all the Americans who can't afford any summer vacation flights as it shuts down
By Rio Yamat and The Associated PressMay 18, 2026
3 days ago
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
Workplace Culture
Dr. Bernice King on why companies that walked back DEI were never truly committed: 'If you retreat that quick…that reveals who you really are'
By Preston ForeMay 19, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.