How GLP-1s are Affecting the Snack Aisle

As the c-store customer increasingly looks for protein-packed snacks and products with functional benefits, retailers are shifting their product assortments and promotional strategies to stay ahead of the curve.

GLP-1 impact

The rise of GLP-1 medications has caused a ripple effect across the snacking category in the c-store industry — but not in the way you might think. Retailers will still be able to cash in on snacks, but they will need to adapt to shifting lifestyle norms and expectations from health-conscious consumers.

The big winner in 2026 is protein, with retailers consistently citing a notable uptick in demand for products with functional benefits like this. The better-for-you trend in snacking is one that has been intensifying in recent years and shows no sign of slowing down.

“The shift is more subtle than the headlines suggest,” said Sean Carroll, director of category management at Good 2 Go, which operates over 80 c-stores across the U.S. Mountain West region. “What we’re seeing isn’t a collapse in snacking; it’s a rebalancing. GLP‑1 users tend to shop with more intention.”

That shows up, noted Carroll, as smaller basket sizes; fewer impulse grabs at the counter; a move toward single-serve, portion-controlled items; and, of course, an uptick in protein-forward snacks.

“Purposeful, higher‑quality snacking is growing,” he continued.

Shifting consumer trends

At Northborough, Mass.-based Yatco, which operates 23 c-stores across Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island, Category Manager for Center Store Walter Thomas is seeing a similar trend.

“Sales are showing us that customers are seeking healthier and more functional options when shopping at our stores,” said Thomas. “Year over year, we’ve seen notable lifts in categories that align with GLP-1-related behavior shifts, including fresh fruit, yogurt, nuts, meat snacks, protein items, packaged cheese and energy-focused products.”

While Thomas noted that he hasn’t seen “drastic declines” tied directly to GLP-1 usage, some traditional indulgence categories like packaged bakery and select snack segments have softened relative to their healthier alternatives.

“One surprising growth segment for us has been beverage enhancers and hydration products,” he said. “As GLP-1 awareness increases, many consumers are becoming more focused on hydration and electrolyte balance — especially as they adjust eating habits and overall nutrition.”

This is a trend that is extending to retailers across the U.S. At Heath, Ohio-based Englefield Oil, which operates more than 120 Duchess convenience stores, Director of Marketing Nathan Arnold noted that the company is seeing “more intentional snack shopping.”

“The traditional impulse purchase is still there, but there is clearly more interest in snacks that offer a functional benefit, especially protein, hydration, better-for-you ingredients and portion control,” he continued.

It is important to note that c-stores are not losing snacking customers; preferences are simply changing. The king of c-store snacking — the salty segment — has taken the biggest hit, however, there is still room for innovation and success within the segment.

“Salty is declining not because the shopper is leaving the category, but because large‑format bags don’t align with the more intentional, portion‑controlled behavior we’re seeing,” said Carroll. “The mission is still there — the format is what’s shifting.”

Retailer adaptations

To stay ahead of the curve, retailers are dedicating more space in the store for these better-for-you and portion-controlled offerings.

“We are widening the assortment to include more high-protein, lighter and functional options while still protecting the core indulgent categories that remain important in convenience,” said Arnold. “That means more single-serve protein items, better-for-you beverages and products that offer portion control or a clearer wellness benefit.”

Good 2 Go is leaning into smaller pack sizes across salty and sweet, prioritizing items with cleaner labels and testing more premium, small‑format indulgences, Carroll explained.

“Some of these trends were already in motion pre‑GLP‑1 — rising price sensitivity, cleaner‑label preferences and portion‑control innovation were already reshaping the category,” he continued. “GLP‑1 is just accelerating those shifts.”

Yatco is looking to expand its packaged bakery offerings to accommodate customer demands in addition to launching new vendor partnerships focused on healthy snacks and protein offerings.

“New flavors are coming out all the time, and we are finding new vendors to help meet our needs,” said Yatco’s Thomas. “What’s been great is that our vendor partners have been very motivated to promote their brands with us. They see this as their window in time where customers are changing behaviors, and they are eagerly trying to stay in front of it.”

With this change in purchasing behavior and customer demand, retailers will not only need to adjust their product assortment, but they will also have to tweak their strategy when it comes to how they promote their snacks.

Carroll said that Good 2 Go’s promotional strategy is shifting from “volume driving” to “mission driving.” That looks like fewer “two for X” deals on large formats, more single-serve trial offers, bundles tied to protein and cleaner, simpler messaging at the shelf to reduce decision friction.

“We’re moving away from ‘buy more’ of a single product and toward building baskets of the ‘right items for your mission,’” he continued.

Meanwhile at Yatco, Thomas is looking to strike a balance between shifting these better-selling products to the front while still cashing in on impulse purchases from customers.

“The biggest change that we have made is moving more of our energy and protein items to the front counter. Traditionally, this impulse-driven area has always been dedicated to candy, gum and mints,” he said. “With our customers’ behavior shifting, we have started to expand with more health-driven options that can serve as a meal replacement or a more satiating snack option. This hasn’t taken away from the experience of getting a Snickers bar at the checkout; rather, it has expanded this key impulse section to an entirely different customer.”

On the other side of that coin, Arnold noted that customers, while increasingly seeking out these better-for-you products, are still creatures of habit.

“We are putting more emphasis on promotions and signage for products featuring protein, energy and hydration,” he said. “While there is some sensitivity in some categories, overall, the average consumer still seeks their go-to convenience items.”

Looking ahead in the snacking category at c-stores, that balance between adaptability and reliability will be key. It is true that customer tastes are evolving, but that is not to say that they are completely changing. There will always be demand for the salty and sweet indulgences that have become synonymous with convenience stores, but being able to balance those offerings with their healthier counterparts can be critical for driving category growth.

“Convenience retail is positioned better than grocery or mass (merchandisers) because we excel at single‑serve, immediate‑consumption formats — exactly where the GLP‑1 shopper gravitates,” said Carroll.

Thomas added that this snacking evolution can be used to c-store retailers’ advantage, giving them the opportunity to reach new markets through a traditionally overlooked customer.

“I think that our expansion in our assortment has opened our doors to a new customer,” Thomas explained. “I think shoppers had traditionally sought out convenience stores as a destination for sweet and salty, but now I’m hearing customers say ‘I didn’t know you had that’ more often.”