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Hershey Links Mint and Gum Sales Jump to GLP-1 Drug Use

Reported dry mouth plus bad breath are pushing shoppers toward breath fresheners.

Overview

  • Hershey CEO Kirk Tanner said Thursday that rising GLP-1 use helped drive strong gum and mint demand as Ice Breakers sales rose more than 8% in the quarter.
  • Higher demand for breath fresheners and a 17% jump in protein-bar sales helped lift Hershey’s first-quarter revenue by more than 10%.
  • GLP-1 makers do not list bad breath as a side effect, though patients and clinicians report it and trials have documented burping in about 9% of users along with nausea and vomiting.
  • Researchers describe likely causes such as dehydration, reduced saliva flow, and shifts in oral bacteria, and they advise drinking water and using sugar-free gum to boost saliva.
  • Lindt and Magnum also report shifts they link to GLP-1 users, with faster growth for premium chocolate and smaller or higher-protein ice cream treats.