Around 1 in 6 American households have at least one member using GLP-1 medication, Jenna Freese, director of strategy at Numerator, said during a presentation at the 2025 NACS State of the Industry Summit in Dallas last week. That’s 8 million weekly convenience store shoppers already in your stores—2.3 million of those 8 million have started taking the medication in just the last 90 days.

This group of consumers is shopping with a mission. They are “looking for food that works harder—protein, shakes, jerky, kombucha, fresh meals, and right-sized portions. It’s not just diet products, it’s functional, convenient, and satisfying options that align with how they feel, fuel, and live,” said Freese.

Numerator data shows that trips are down for more indulgent foods, including RTD coffee, frozen desserts, chips, alcohol, and candy. But trips have increased for options that support GLP-1 users’ health, such as prebiotic and probiotic soda, performance shakes, yogurt, meat snacks, and kombucha.

According to Freese, there’s an opportunity for c-stores to capture these customers as they emerge, and it comes down to “how quickly a banner can signal that they understand the intentionality of the GLP-1 consumer and the shift in the mission-driven trip—the shift away from sugar and oversized portions, and towards control, function, and feel-good fuel.”

It starts with rethinking three areas, she said: product mix, merchandising, and messaging.

C-stores should offer more high-protein and portion-aware items across both packaged and made-to-order formats. “That could mean expanding your grab-and-go sets to include things like protein bars, egg bites, jerky, and low-sugar snacks, while also updating your hot and fresh menus with options like grilled proteins, build-your-own salads, wraps, and customizable bowls. That flexibility, customization, and portion control is really important,” said Freese.

Many of these better-for-you options may already be in your stores. “The opportunity lies in how you’re presenting them to your customers,” Freese said. She suggested retailers build intuitive, clearly merchandised food sets that align with the real-world decisions shoppers are making.

“When it comes to messaging and loyalty, talk about health without saying diet. Use language that focuses on fuel, balance, and control. Encourage balanced baskets, not just single, healthy items,” Freese added.

For more on GLP-1 consumers, check out coverage of the SOI Summit in the upcoming June issue of NACS Magazine.