What Are People Doing About Ozempic Breath?
A surprising increase in sales of mints and gum at Hershey is being attributed to a novel phenomenon: “Ozempic breath,” an increasingly common complaint among users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. The Pennsylvania candymaker reports that retail sales of Ice Breakers, Hershey’s third-largest confection, increased 8 percent in the first quarter.
Prior to the company’s earnings conference call on Thursday, chief executive officer Kirk Tanner said the “strong demand” for breath fresheners and gum is a benefit of “functional snacking tailwinds, including GLP-1 adoption.” The minty sales bump, coupled with a 17 percent increase in sales of protein bars, boosted Hershey’s quarterly revenue more than 10 percent, Tanner said.
While halitosis, a.k.a. bad breath, is not officially listed as a side effect of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro, there’s mounting evidence that candy companies are benefiting from GLP-1 users’ desire to mask their breath and take a more refined approach to snacking.
Excerpted from Inc.
