How weight-loss drugs are reshaping wardrobe spending

Outerwear and swimwear are emerging as standout categories in the wardrobe spending shift linked to weight-loss drugs. Circana’s latest US household research shows spending in both categories strengthening in the second year of treatment, even as footwear remains broadly flat and accessories lose ground.

The findings, published in "GLP-1 Unlocked: The Next Phase of Consumer and Retail Transformation" on Thursday, suggest that the apparel opportunity extends beyond an initial change in clothing size. Swimwear’s spending index was 15.5 points above its pre-treatment baseline in year two, compared with 1.7 points in year one. Outerwear strengthened from 10.9 points above baseline to 15 points, while sweaters rose from 6.8 to 14.9 points. These are index-point changes, not percentage sales increases.

Circana’s analysis draws on US household receipt-panel purchases from August 2023 to July 2026, linked to a July 2026 survey identifying GLP-1 use. It examines households with at least one current user who started treatment between 2024 and 2026, comparing their spending patterns with those of households that had never used the drugs.

The analysis aligns purchases with the reported treatment start date rather than a calendar year. “Year one” refers to the first 12 months after treatment began, while “year two” covers months 13 to 24, where that purchasing history is available. The second-year figures therefore describe longer-term users, not a second course of medication or a standard two-year treatment programme.

Circana measures average monthly household spending relative to non-user households, then tracks changes in that index against the 12 months before treatment started. Its month-by-month comparisons are designed to account for wider market influences, including inflation and seasonality. The results capture household purchases, not what the person taking the medication bought.

Why GLP-1 treatment can affect wardrobes

GLP-1 receptor agonists are medicines used to treat conditions including type 2 diabetes and obesity, depending on the product and prescription. They mimic the action of glucagon-like peptide-1, a hormone involved in blood sugar regulation and appetite. Semaglutide, sold under brands including Ozempic and Wegovy for different indications, is one example.

Circana’s separate September 2026 survey provides evidence of a connection between GLP-1 treatments with clothing purchases. Among households with a current GLP-1 user, 43 percent reported buying clothing or footwear in the previous three months because of GLP-1 use. Size changes were the most commonly reported driver, cited by 28 percent, followed by updating personal style at 18 percent and participating in new activities at 13 percent. Respondents could report more than one motivation.

Apparel gains build, but not across every category

Across apparel as a whole, the spending index was 2.9 points above its pre-treatment baseline in year one and 6.4 points above it in year two. The first-year pattern also developed over time, moving from 0.7 points below baseline in the first quarter to 8.5 points above it in the fourth.

That progression suggests retailers should look beyond the earliest months of treatment when assessing demand. However, the research does not establish whether shoppers delay purchases until their weight stabilises, replace different items in stages or change their budgets as treatment continues. Nor does it establish precisely why outerwear and swimwear show stronger gains than some other categories.

Total footwear remained close to baseline, at 0.1 points below in year one and 0.2 points below in year two. Within that market, fashion footwear strengthened from 2.2 to 5.1 points above baseline, while performance footwear recovered from 3.6 points below baseline to 3.2 points above it.

Accessories moved in the opposite direction, falling from 1.2 points below baseline in year one to 2.5 points below in year two. Jewelry’s decline was sharper, at 7.6 and 12.3 points below baseline respectively. The findings therefore point to selective wardrobe spending rather than a uniform increase across fashion.

For apparel businesses, Circana identifies potential responses ranging from more responsive size planning and fit guidance to alterations, size exchanges and affordable transitional wardrobes. It also positions rental and resale as possible ways to serve customers moving between sizes without requiring them to replace an entire wardrobe at every stage.