Pub landlords across Scotland say the growing use of weight-loss injections such as Ozempic and Wegovy is contributing to falling trade, as customers eat and drink less when they do go out. The Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) says the drugs, alongside persistent cost-of-living pressures, are reshaping customer behaviour and adding to the difficulties facing an industry already squeezed by rising costs.

A survey for the SLTA's Summer On-Trade Market Insight Report found 16 per cent of operators believe weight-loss drugs are driving fewer visits, while 22 per cent said customers had become more discerning, with some reportedly ordering from children's menus or sharing soup. Around 300,000 Scots are thought to be using such drugs, many paying privately as they are ineligible for NHS treatment. The report also found 58 per cent of outlets in decline and all respondents facing year-on-year cost rises, though 61 per cent expect growth or stability for the rest of the year and fewer are considering closure than in the previous survey.