Weight-loss drugs: clothing spending rises, footwear barely moves

The increase varies sharply by category. FashionUnited reports that the apparel spending index exceeded its pre-treatment baseline by 6.4 points in year two, against 2.9 points in year one. Footwear barely moved: its index sat below baseline by 0.1 points and 0.2 points respectively.

Swimwear showed a much larger increase, according to FashionUnited: its index reached 15.5 points above baseline in the second year, versus 1.7 points in the first. Outerwear’s increase over baseline reached 15 points, up from 10.9 points; for sweaters, the corresponding figures were 14.9 and 6.8 points. Accessories went the other way, with a shortfall against baseline of 2.5 points in year two, compared with 1.2 points in year one.

The findings come from Circana’s analysis, FashionUnited reports. It used receipt-panel purchase records for US households covering August 2023 through July 2026, matched with a survey conducted in July 2026 that identified GLP-1 use. Among households reporting current use, 43 percent said GLP-1 use had prompted a clothing or footwear purchase within the preceding three months.