Mumbai: The growing popularity of weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Wegovy may open new growth avenues for non-pharma businesses like textiles, apparel, fitness chains, and food and beverages, besides boosting wellness services such as dental care, aesthetics, dermatology, cosmetology, and plastic surgery.
Around 100,000 people in the country are estimated to be using these drugs and the figure is expected to surge to 1.2 million within two years, driving demand across the industries.
"Made-to-measure and custom tailoring is a trend that will intensify," said Neeraj Nagpal, chief business officer, apparel and retail, at Raymond Lifestyle.
The apparel maker is weaving health-consciousness into its design strategy - to address a possible rise in demand for "a sharper look" post weight loss.
"We have the ingredients, infrastructure, process, knowhow and we have the experience and legacy of delivering at scale to ride on where the wind blows," Nagpal said.
Places like the US where GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) weight-loss drugs have become a rage, apparel brands are noticing a shift in people's shopping habits.
Globally, clothing companies like athletic apparel retailer Lululemon are seeing sizes like S and M flying off the shelves more quickly than usual, according to a report by Investec. "People on GLP drugs are now demanding smaller sizes as their body sizes reduce and this has made companies monitor their sell-through rates to see which sizes are performing better than others," the report stated.
Data indicates that customers on GLP-1 drugs are likely to buy more apparel within their first year of being on the medication, it said.
The number of Indians using weight-loss drugs is projected to reach four million by 2029-30, aided by an expected drop of up to 80% in the price of semaglutide (Wegovy) after its patent expires in March 2026, paving the way for multiple Indian generics.
Several industries are expected to get a tailwind from this.
Fitness centres may see a rise in sign-ups as consumers of weight-loss drugs are required to engage in muscle and strength training, said doctors and industry experts.
Dermatologists are hoping to receive a lot of patient call with concerns around hair loss, skin sagging, stretch marks and dry skin; dental and aesthetic surgeons are expecting a rise in cases of teeth enamel erosion among people who use weight-loss drugs; orthopaedics foresee muscle loss due to the weight drugs, triggering several cases of back ache and knee pain.
"Dermatology will get more tailwind because when people lose weight, it will affect the skin tone and texture, especially if it is unsupervised without proper nutrition and lifestyle change," said Neeraj Tulara, general medicines and infectious diseases specialist at LH Hiranandani Hospital at Powai, Mumbai.
The weight-loss medications will also lead to significant muscle loss along with fat loss. That is why these medications are advised with strength training.
"If there is a 25-30% weight loss, it will significantly affect the shape of the body," Tulara said. "And once there is muscle loss, the business of dermatologists, cosmetologists and plastic surgeons will increase as more people on weight-loss drugs will approach them to address issues like change in skin tone and texture, skin sagging, etc."
Dental would be more of an indirect impact like loss of enamel and gums-related issues due to muscle loss, doctors said. However, any deficiency will happen only when one is not eating properly - because along with weight loss, there is need for dietary consultation and strength training to build muscles, they said.
The full impact of the drugs, though, is yet to unfold as it is still early days, they added.
"If the weight loss has been unsupervised or very rapid, people come to us for hair loss," said Maithili Kamat, consultant dermatologist and trichologist at Jaslok Hospital. Any calorie deficit due to suppression of appetite and if it is unsupervised without proper nutrients or a high protein diet, there will be hair loss, which also happens after bariatric surgery, she said.
Food companies may also see a mark-up in sales of healthy snacks and protein-rich diets.
According to a report by consulting major PwC, weight-loss drugs change the way people think about their food and beverage intake.
Around 100,000 people in the country are estimated to be using these drugs and the figure is expected to surge to 1.2 million within two years, driving demand across the industries.
"Made-to-measure and custom tailoring is a trend that will intensify," said Neeraj Nagpal, chief business officer, apparel and retail, at Raymond Lifestyle.
The apparel maker is weaving health-consciousness into its design strategy - to address a possible rise in demand for "a sharper look" post weight loss.
"We have the ingredients, infrastructure, process, knowhow and we have the experience and legacy of delivering at scale to ride on where the wind blows," Nagpal said.
Places like the US where GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) weight-loss drugs have become a rage, apparel brands are noticing a shift in people's shopping habits.
Globally, clothing companies like athletic apparel retailer Lululemon are seeing sizes like S and M flying off the shelves more quickly than usual, according to a report by Investec. "People on GLP drugs are now demanding smaller sizes as their body sizes reduce and this has made companies monitor their sell-through rates to see which sizes are performing better than others," the report stated.
Data indicates that customers on GLP-1 drugs are likely to buy more apparel within their first year of being on the medication, it said.
The number of Indians using weight-loss drugs is projected to reach four million by 2029-30, aided by an expected drop of up to 80% in the price of semaglutide (Wegovy) after its patent expires in March 2026, paving the way for multiple Indian generics.
Several industries are expected to get a tailwind from this.
Fitness centres may see a rise in sign-ups as consumers of weight-loss drugs are required to engage in muscle and strength training, said doctors and industry experts.
Dermatologists are hoping to receive a lot of patient call with concerns around hair loss, skin sagging, stretch marks and dry skin; dental and aesthetic surgeons are expecting a rise in cases of teeth enamel erosion among people who use weight-loss drugs; orthopaedics foresee muscle loss due to the weight drugs, triggering several cases of back ache and knee pain.
"Dermatology will get more tailwind because when people lose weight, it will affect the skin tone and texture, especially if it is unsupervised without proper nutrition and lifestyle change," said Neeraj Tulara, general medicines and infectious diseases specialist at LH Hiranandani Hospital at Powai, Mumbai.
The weight-loss medications will also lead to significant muscle loss along with fat loss. That is why these medications are advised with strength training.
"If there is a 25-30% weight loss, it will significantly affect the shape of the body," Tulara said. "And once there is muscle loss, the business of dermatologists, cosmetologists and plastic surgeons will increase as more people on weight-loss drugs will approach them to address issues like change in skin tone and texture, skin sagging, etc."
Dental would be more of an indirect impact like loss of enamel and gums-related issues due to muscle loss, doctors said. However, any deficiency will happen only when one is not eating properly - because along with weight loss, there is need for dietary consultation and strength training to build muscles, they said.
The full impact of the drugs, though, is yet to unfold as it is still early days, they added.
"If the weight loss has been unsupervised or very rapid, people come to us for hair loss," said Maithili Kamat, consultant dermatologist and trichologist at Jaslok Hospital. Any calorie deficit due to suppression of appetite and if it is unsupervised without proper nutrients or a high protein diet, there will be hair loss, which also happens after bariatric surgery, she said.
Food companies may also see a mark-up in sales of healthy snacks and protein-rich diets.
According to a report by consulting major PwC, weight-loss drugs change the way people think about their food and beverage intake.
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