GLP-1s are changing America’s homes—and their trash

The growing use of GLP-1 medicines is coinciding with changes in how some Americans shop for food and design their homes. Some households are buying less food and choosing more compact kitchens, while designers are increasingly concealing appliances and storage; the trends overlap, but the article says this does not establish that the medicines are causing them.

The article cites a PwC analysis finding that 21% of US households had a current GLP-1 user, up from 9% in January 2025, and that users’ grocery spending fell 5.5%. Separately, a kitchen design survey found 85% of industry professionals expect cabinetry to conceal appliances and other work areas. The article also describes concern in New York City about needlestick injuries to sanitation workers and higher fines for improperly discarded household medical waste from 9 November.