# Heineken Warns UK Pubs GLP-1 Drugs Could Pressure Beer Sales By John Kim Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/39565 Published: 2026-10-24T02:49:13.000Z Updated: 2026-10-24T02:49:13.000Z Section: Business > It recommended half-pints and low- and no-alcohol drinks as UK pub beer sales reached £14 billion in the year through Feb. 21, 2026, without isolating any effect from GLP-1 use. Heineken warned UK pub and bar operators that glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications may change drinking habits and pressure beer and cider sales, and urged them to offer smaller pours and lower-alcohol choices. A presentation shared with UK hospitality customers in October warned that GLP-1 use could mean “fullness and fewer serves,” potentially making multi-pint occasions harder to sustain. It recommended half-pints, low- and no-alcohol drinks, and pairings with small plates. UK beer sales by value at pubs, bars and restaurants reached £14 billion in the 12 months through Feb. 21, 2026, up 5% from a year earlier. Low- and no-alcohol beer sales totaled £271 million, an increase of 31%. The sales figures do not measure any contribution from GLP-1 use. In a February 2026 survey, 207 current or former UK GLP-1 users reported drinking alcohol an average of 2.2 days per week after starting medication, down from 3.1 days. They also reported consuming 3.6 UK units a week, compared with 4.3 before starting. The results were self-reported and do not establish that medication caused the changes. A national probability-based U.S. survey conducted in March and April 2026 included 2,009 respondents. Among respondents who drank when they began treatment, 44.2% said their alcohol use fell in the first three months; 52.6% reported no change, and 3.3% reported an increase. Because responses were retrospective and self-reported, the researchers called for large clinical trials before drawing conclusions about the relationship. Other alcohol companies have cited limits in the evidence. Diageo’s fiscal 2026 interim presentation described evidence of a lasting effect on total beverage alcohol purchases as limited. Carlsberg has said available data did not yet show GLP-1 drugs were a clear driver of beer-consumption trends. For the first half of 2026, Heineken reported a 12% increase in low- and no-alcohol volumes and 1.6% growth in total volume. European net revenue was nearly unchanged over the period, as detailed in TokenPost’s [earlier coverage of Heineken’s European results](). Heineken described the customer presentation as part of its regular engagement with hospitality businesses. “We see some changes in consumption behaviour among (GLP-1) users and will continue to monitor how these behaviours evolve in 2027,” the company said. ## Links in this article - [earlier coverage of Heineken’s European results](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/28035)