Chocolate remains on the menu for consumers taking GLP-1 medicines, but the confectionery industry’s reassuring consumption figures mask a more complicated commercial shift.
Research released by the US National Confectioners Association (NCA) in July found that 92% of GLP-1 users had consumed chocolate in the previous month, almost matching the proportion among non-users. Some 22% said they enjoyed confectionery daily, compared with 15% of people not taking the medicines.
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The findings suggest that appetite suppression is changing how people treat themselves rather than driving them out of the category altogether. They do not, however, establish that consumers are buying the same quantities, spending the same amount or consuming as many calories as they did before treatment.
That distinction is becoming increasingly important for confectionery manufacturers, cocoa processors and investors.
Consumption Is Not the Same as Purchasing
The NCA’s Inside the GLP-1 Mindset report combines consumer research conducted in December 2025 with Circana household-panel data and other industry analysis. Among users consuming less confectionery, 53% said they were eating less food generally rather than specifically avoiding chocolate or candy.
The association identified opportunities in smaller servings, premium products, lower-sugar recipes and products with clearer ingredient information. It also said financial pressures were six times more likely than GLP-1 use to cause consumers to reduce their confectionery purchases.