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Marks & Spencer Group PLC is launching a range of meals and snacks to help those on weight-loss medication maintain a healthy diet. M&S said its new Nutrient Dense range of 20 products had been formulated for customers to meet their daily recommended amounts of fibre, vitamins and minerals, claiming the meals were ideal for those with a lower appetite or people taking GLP-1 weight loss medication. It will include an H5O shot named for its five botanical ingredients, which have been selected and verified by scientists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew as well as coconut water, cold-pressed ginger juice, fruit and vegetable fibre and sea moss, as well as salads, meals and bread, such as a Super Seeded Oaty Bread. The launch follows a dramatic rise in the number of people using GLP-1 weight-loss drugs. Figures given to the Telegraph from life science analytics company IQVIA show that 2.49 million packs of Mounjaro and Wegovy were purchased in July up from 493,000 the previous year. Between July and August, sales jumped by an additional million, the newspaper reported, but this was amid widespread reports of stockpiling ahead of the September price increase. Estimates suggest about 90% of people on weight-loss jabs pay for them privately online and via high street pharmacies. The NHS has started its roll-out of Mounjaro but there are tight restrictions on which patients are eligible. Over three years, the health service expects to give the jabs to 240,000 people. Nutrient-dense foods are those that provide a more concentrated source of vitamins, minerals, fibre, healthy fats and protein relevant to their calorie content. M&S cited recent research by government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2025 that found the UK population is deficient in several nutrients, with 96% not meeting the daily fibre recommendation. M&S head of food trends Annette Peters said: ‘The Nutrient Dense range is so exciting and is also incredibly useful for anyone trying to hit their nutritional targets. ‘It is also great if customers are reducing their food intake, such as those using weight-loss medication. ‘We know the use of GLP-1 medications is growing, so it’s more important than ever to ensure that even if people are eating smaller portions, we help provide them with the right level of nutrients. ‘We have challenged ourselves to make products that are denser in nutrients than calories, so every single mouthful is packed full of more of the good stuff we all need.’ The Nutrient Dense range is available in M&S Foodhalls from January 5. Marks & Spencer shares were up 0.2% at 322.18 pence in London on Tuesday morning. By Josie Clarke, Press Association Consumer Affairs Correspondent source: PA Copyright 2025 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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