November 9, 2026, 3:36 am | Read time: 4 minutes
Medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro can significantly affect appetite. But the treatment might also change something else: the sense of smell. According to a report by the news agency Reuters, people in the U.S. using these medications spend more on perfume than the average person. At the same time, major perfume manufacturers are increasingly interested in how GLP-1 medications might influence consumer behavior. But what is behind the change in the sense of smell?
As reported by Reuters, citing data from market research firm NIQ, people in the U.S. treated with these medications spend 26 percent more on perfume than the average population. This has apparently caught the attention of the fragrance industry. Companies like Givaudan, IFF, the British company CPL Aromas, and L’Oréal are exploring the potential impact of GLP-1 medications on purchasing behavior.
The market is enormous: $150 billion is projected for obesity medications by 2030. Examples include Wegovy from Novo Nordisk and Mounjaro from Eli Lilly.
What do GLP-1 medications have to do with the sense of smell?
This is where it gets particularly interesting scientifically, though also more uncertain. Scientists at the National Center for Smell and Taste of the U.S. National Institutes of Health indicate that the medications act on receptors in the olfactory bulb tissue.1 The olfactory bulb, also known as the bulbus olfactorius, is a part of the brain involved in processing smell information.
However, this does not automatically mean that GLP-1 medications cause people to suddenly develop a different taste in perfume. This connection is still being investigated. But: The scientific exploration of the relationship between GLP-1 receptors and the processing of smells is still in its early stages. Both scientists and involved laboratories urge caution.
Interestingly, there is research showing that severe obesity can affect or even impair the sense of smell.2 This might also explain why weight-loss injections–primarily used to treat obesity–are associated with a change in smell perception.
Is the pleasure of eating shifting to other senses?
There are already observations in the perfume industry regarding this. IFF reports increased interest in perfume as a source of sensual pleasure among this consumer group. L’Oréal Paris also observes that enjoyment may shift to other senses. Givaudan, in turn, has noticed changes in fragrance preferences: Scents that were once commonplace may suddenly be rejected, while food-like fragrance notes become more attractive.
However, it should be noted: These are industry observations and not proof that GLP-1 medications are responsible for this trend.
Perfumes increasingly smell like food
In parallel, a growing fragrance trend is booming: so-called gourmand scents. These are perfumes whose notes remind our sense of smell of vanilla, cocoa, pastries, or other foods. According to figures from the analysis company Mintel, cited by the portal El Economista, such food-inspired compositions now account for 24 percent of innovations in the fragrance sector. Two years ago, it was reportedly nine percent. It is no longer exclusively about very sweet scents.
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Miso, sesame, and truffle instead of just vanilla
According to El Economista, companies like Puig and Coty observe that classic vanilla scents are becoming more complex. This includes fragrance notes reminiscent of rum, whiskey, or tequila, as well as more unusual components like Tabasco or bitter cocoa. CPL Aromas also reports increasing interest in salty and fermented notes like miso, sesame, truffle, or rice. Younger consumers, in particular, are seeking these scents, moving away from very sweet compositions.
Perfumers are even attempting to recreate entire dining experiences as fragrances. For example, Givaudan perfumers analyze desserts like banoffee pie or cupcakes and try to capture impressions of crispiness, acidity, and milky creaminess in a scent.
Is the weight-loss injection responsible for the perfume trend?
Scientifically, the connection cannot be drawn that far at present.
There are reports of noticeable consumer data and growing interest from the perfume industry in people using GLP-1 medications. At the same time, the report makes it clear that research on how GLP-1 receptors relate to the processing of smells is still in its infancy.
It can be stated that people using these medications spend, according to NIQ data, above-average amounts on fragrances in the U.S. At the same time, gourmand perfumes are gaining significant importance. However, whether one causes the other has not been proven.