Explained: Why Nestle is tweaking flavours for people taking GLP-1 drugs

Nestle's chefs are working with people taking GLP-1 drugs to develop new flavour combinations, including potentially using more spices and pepper to compensate for dulled taste perception

As the use of GLP-1 drugs is on the rise across the world, especially in the US, food and beverage companies are racing to keep pace with changing consumer preferences. Nestlé on Tuesday said it is exploring bolder flavours for some of its products to offset the dulled taste perception often experienced by users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, reported the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday.

 

GLP-1 drugs, formally known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists, mimic a naturally occurring gut hormone that helps regulate blood sugar, slows digestion and promotes a feeling of fullness, leading users to eat less. However, recent studies have shown that some users experienced dulled taste perception after starting the medication.

 

 

What is Nestle doing?

 

The move comes amid the growing popularity of GLP-1. A recent Gallup poll found that around 11 per cent of US adults are taking GLP-1 drugs for weight loss in 2026, a sharp increase from 3 per cent in 2024. Meanwhile, 15 per cent said they have used GLP-1 drugs for weight loss at some point.

 

This means consumers are changing their eating habits and opting for fewer snacks between meals. The shift poses a challenge for snacking companies, which have traditionally relied on high-calorie, flavourful products to drive consumption.

 

Nestlé's Marketing Director David Rennie reportedly said the company's chefs are working with people taking GLP-1 drugs to develop new flavour combinations, including potentially using more spices and pepper to compensate for dulled taste perception.

 

According to Rennie, Nestlé has been testing packaged foods with consumers taking GLP-1 drugs to better understand how their taste preferences change. "People don't want to eat as much on GLP-1s, and also your taste profile changes," he said, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal. “GLP-1s sort of dull your taste profile.”

 

Nestlé is also printing clear nutrition labels on its packaging and changing some of its portion sizes to target people taking GLP-1 drugs. It has also introduced new formats focused on protein and fibre, including a high-protein version of its chocolate malt Milo drink, Rennie said.

 

How do GLP-1 drugs impair taste function?

 

Multiple studies have found that GLP-1 receptor agonists can significantly reduce taste perception, potentially explaining why many users report that food tastes less intense after starting the medication.

 

A study published in the journal Physiology & Behavior in 2025 compared 46 people taking GLP-1 drugs with 46 matched participants who were not on the medication. Researchers, using standardised taste and smell tests, found that those taking GLP-1 drugs performed significantly worse on taste tests, with 85 per cent scoring lower than their matched counterparts.

 

The reduced taste perception was observed across all five basic taste qualities: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami.

 

However, the study found no statistically significant decline in smell function, suggesting that the drugs primarily affect taste rather than the sense of smell.

 

Researchers noted that the exact mechanism behind taste suppression remains unclear, but several theories exist. GLP-1 receptors are found in regions of the brain involved in processing taste and food reward, including the brainstem, hypothalamus and other neural pathways. The hormone is also produced in certain taste bud cells on the tongue, where it may influence signals sent from the taste buds to the brain. Scientists believe these pathways, along with the vagus nerve, could contribute to the dampened perception of taste experienced by some users.