Mini ready meals are not the best way to build healthy eating habits, nutritionists have warned after a series of major retailers launched ranges of products aimed at people on weight-loss jabs.
Online supermarket Ocado has started a new “weight management” range which includes “GLP-1-friendly products”, that are portion-controlled and nutrient-rich, such as a tiny steak and “powdered greens” supplement.
It follows a growing trend among retailers, with Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, and Greggs having already introduced new ranges specifically catering to consumers using GLP-1 drugs, such as Ozempic and Mounjaro. The Co-op is also selling “mini meals” – 250g-280g pots “inspired by global cuisines”.
As many as 2.5 million adults are estimated to be using weight-loss jabs in the UK. The injections, also known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, work by mimicking the natural hormone which regulates blood sugar, appetite and digestion.
While these ready meals may appeal to people taking GLP-1 drugs, nutritionists are concerned that the growing trend of “GLP-1 friendly” foods is just a marketing opportunity that may not be beneficial in the long term.
“For some people on weight-loss injections, smaller, nutrient dense ready meals based on whole foods may be helpful in the short term, particularly if appetite is very low and they’re tempted to skip meals altogether. However, I don’t see them as a long term solution or the best way to build healthy eating habits,” Kim Pearson, a registered nutritionist who specialises in weight loss, told the Independent.
She argues sustainable weight loss comes from learning how to eat balanced meals and outsourcing that to pre-prepared meals can prevent people from developing those skills.
“There’s also the risk that once the injections stop and appetite returns, people are left without an understanding of how to eat to maintain their weight loss,” Ms Pearson added.
Nutritionist Rob Hobson argued low appetite eating shouldn’t be treated as a “niche market” because aside from people using weight-loss jabs, it’s common in older adults and people living with illness. He is also concerned it will become another marketing opportunity that is “medicalised and claim-driven”.
“If GLP-1 ready meals become a defined diet segment, it’s very likely that more ultra-processed products will enter the space that are engineered to meet health claims through fortification, texture modification and shelf life, rather than genuinely supporting long-term health,” he told the Independent.
Mr Hobson added: “Ultimately, GLP-1 medications offer a real opportunity for people to reset their relationship with food and build healthier eating habits with less food noise. Ready meals can support that if they prioritise nutrient density, real ingredients and accessibility but if this category becomes niche, medicalised and claim-driven then there is a risk of recreating diet culture under a medical name and that would be a missed opportunity for both public health and the food industry.”
