Five of the top ten manufacturers of ultra-processed foods in Europe are profiting from products targeting obesity, such as Nestlé subsidiary BodyMed's meal replacements, Danone's medical foods for diabetics and Unilever-backed Lemme's belly-fat-burning gums.
Building on these findings, new research reveals how these companies are increasingly targeting users of diabetes and obesity drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. An analysis of annual reports, shareholder meeting transcripts and recent investments reveals how some food giants are positioning themselves to profit from this emerging market. This cross-border team of investigative journalists compiled several spreadsheets cataloguing all the supplements and health products in which these food companies have invested, as well as their links to GLP-1 drugs, and identified more than fifty products marketed to people seeking weight loss through these drugs.
The industry's strategy appears to be to promote a new dietary model that alternates between consuming ultra-processed foods, using weight-loss drugs and following industry-designed diets.
Photo Credit: Sophie Smeets | Follow The Money
