Conagra ‘GLP-1 Friendly’ Packaging Badge Taps the Weight Loss Drug Craze

Select Healthy Choice frozen meal packages get a makeover with an On Track nutritional badge to target the 15.5 million US adults taking GLP-1 drugs and others fighting a personal battle of the bulge.

At a Glance

• New packaging on some existing products uses extra messaging to tap GLP-1 patients’ and others’ weight consciousness.
• USDA reviewed and approved the “GLP-1 Friendly” products, assuring regulatory compliance.

Conagra Brands is responding to consumers’ surging use of GLP-1 medications with an on-pack “GLP-1 Friendly” badge that flags select products as suited to the dietary needs of GLP-1 drug takers.

GLP-1 medications (aka glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists) were originally developed to help type 2 diabetes patients manage their blood sugar, but the drugs are now increasingly used as a weight-loss aid.

Although Conagra’s on-pack badge specifically targets users of the drugs, it also enables non-users to quickly identify relevant nutritional information on the meal packages.

In January 2025, Conagra’s GLP-1 Friendly badge began appearing on the front panel of Healthy Choice frozen-meal cartons. In all, 26 Healthy Choice Simply Steamers and Café Steamers products display the badge on-pack.

The badge states that the products are High Protein and GLP-1 Friendly; it also displays fiber content. Grams of protein and the product’s calorie count are shown separately on the front of the carton.

The packaging has changed, but the meals themselves have not. Conagra reports that the USDA reviewed and approved all products marked with the badge, ensuring regulatory compliance.

Acknowledging that the On Track badge is “clear and concise” from a design standpoint, John Broderick, director of consumer insights research at Product Ventures, says “the key question is [the badge’s] effectiveness in communicating the intended message to consumers.”

He continues, “What does ‘on track’ mean to consumers? Is it effective for consumers not on a GLP-1 drug? Or, does it open the door to consumers who aren’t on a GLP-1 inhibitor to feel part of the group?” Consumer research will be needed to answer these and similar questions, Broderick says.

GLP-1 gets its 15 minutes.

It’s still early days for food companies targeting GLP-1 drug takers, but the impact of weight-loss trends on food marketing is nothing new. The Atkins, keto, and paleo diets — when at their most popular — all influenced packaging design and marketing campaigns.

And now it’s the GLP-1 era, with a staggering number of consumers taking the drugs. Gallup reports that by mid-2024, an estimated 15.5 million US adults were taking or had taken them. Trade names for the medications include Ozempic, Trulicity, and Wegovy.

“Brands are tapping into consumers’ continued battle of the bulge and looking to be at the party,” Broderick says. “GLP-1 inhibitors have taken the market by storm, driven by celebrity and pop culture. It has become prevalent in the nutritional supplement segment of the market, so it’s a natural progression to see it migrate to food.”

Originally Published in Packaging Digest