A new survey from Tinuiti, a digital-marketing agency, finds that of respondents who have taken GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy, approximately 40 percent plan to spend more on apparel over the next year. The study is the latest to show the positive affiliation between GLP-1 drug use and increased apparel spend as well as the increased use of resale platforms.
The survey found that three out of every four GLP-1 users who have lost weight are restocking their wardrobes specifically because of weight loss, which is driving these individuals to increase their apparel purchases. Fully 44 percent of all those restocking wardrobes due to GLP-1 weight loss expect to spend more on apparel over the next year, compared to just 21 percent of all other respondents.
Respondents who have lost weight with GLP-1 medications are also much more likely than the overall average to say they plan to resell apparel products as well as rent apparel items through an online service, as the shifting nature of their size requirements is clearly driving up resale efforts and making short-term apparel solutions more appealing.
Of the 1000 U.S. consumers surveyed in July, 27 percent of all respondents have used GLP-1 medications to lose weight. Asked how they anticipate their apparel spending will change over the next year, 25 percent of respondents expect to increase their spending, more than double the 11 percent share who expect to spend less. The increase was attributed partly to increased GLP-1 USE. Most respondents, 64 percent, plan to spend about the same amount on apparel.
Looking ahead, 13 percent of respondents say they have not yet lost weight using GLP-1 medications but are interested in doing so in the future. Younger respondents are most likely to turn to GLP-1 products, as nearly half of Gen Z and millennials have either used them or are interested in using them in the future, compared to just a third of Gen X and older respondents.
Inflation’s Impact on Apparel Spend
The survey also explored how inflationary pressures are impacting apparel purchases. Among the respondents, 42 percent of regular apparel shoppers indicated they are purchasing fewer products as a result of higher prices. More than a third of respondents are also searching for promos/coupon codes more frequently and shopping around more in general.
Apparel shoppers with the largest budgets, the 30 percent of respondents who said they spend over $200 per month, are less likely than average to say they are buying fewer products (27 percent) or cheaper brands (25 percent), but more likely than average to say they are shopping around more (40 percent) or searching more for promos/coupons (38 percent).
While 32 percent of all apparel shoppers are buying less expensive brands due to inflation, this is even more common among those consumers shopping for apparel who typically purchase from name brands, with 38 percent trading down for cheaper brands.
Younger consumers are more willing to purchase less exppensive apparel brands due to inflation, with 40 percent of Gen Z doing so compared to 27 percent among baby boomers. Instead, baby boomers are most likely to say they are opting to buy fewer apparel items overall (53 percent).
Inflation is also driving 24 percent of apparel shoppers to purchase more secondhand clothing over the past year, a practice that is much more common among a younger demogrqphic in general. Asked why they purchase pre-owned apparel or fashion items, 65 percent of secondhand clothing shoppers do so for the lower price point, with 39 percent drawn by the ability to afford higher-end brands. Among Gen Z, the lower price point of secondhand apparel is a primary motivator for 59 percent of respondents who buy it, while a relatively large contingent (33 percent) point to environmental or sustainability reasons.
The vast majority of apparel shoppers (70 percent) typically wait for sales or discounts to make purchases. That share jumps to 81 percent among respondents who are searching more for promos and/or coupon codes as a result of inflation. Women are slightly more likely (72 percent) than men (66 percent) to say they wait for sales or discounts to make apparel purchases.
Social Media’s Increased Influence on Apparel Spend
Among all respondents, 36 percent recall seeing or hearing about a new apparel product on social media that they went on to purchase in the past year, the most popular channel for product discovery. In-store displays and signs came in second at 30 percent, followed by search engines at 24 percent.
Traditional television was selected by just under 24 percent of respondents, streaming video services were chosen by 16 percent, while 33 percent selected one or both of those options. Taken together with large share of social media impressions driven today by video formats like TikTok videos, YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels, it’s clear that apparel brands must develop a comprehensive video strategy to build awareness with consumers.
Breaking down which social media platforms are most influential in the apparel space, Facebook is the top option for product discovery across all respondents (20 percent), followed by TikTok (16 percent) and YouTube (15 percent).
Full survey results can be downloaded here.
