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Hershey Credits GLP-1 Boom for Gum Sales Lift as Reports of ‘Ozempic Breath’ Grow

The candy maker’s update points to weight‑loss drugs reshaping what people buy to manage side effects.

Overview

  • Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner said demand for gum and mints is rising as the refreshment category benefits from GLP‑1 drug adoption, with Ice Breakers retail sales up more than 8% last quarter.
  • The company also reported a 17% jump in protein‑bar sales, which coverage linked to advice that people on GLP‑1 therapies boost protein to help maintain muscle during weight loss.
  • Users and some clinicians describe “Ozempic breath,” a bad‑breath or sulfur‑burp odor that experts say can follow slower digestion that lets food ferment, reduced saliva, or ketosis.
  • The odor is not listed among the most common GLP‑1 side effects, which reports say more often include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
  • Simple steps like drinking more water, tongue scraping, antimicrobial mouthwash, and sugar‑free gum are widely suggested, and with roughly 12% of U.S. adults having used a GLP‑1, these buying shifts could persist.