Making people skinny is fattening Denmark’s pockets.
According to the BBC, Danish pharmaceutical firm Novo Nordisk is cashing in after the release of two extremely popular drugs: Wegovy and Ozempic.
The anti-obesity and diabetic medications turned the pharmaceutical company into one of Europe’s most valuable companies.
How much have WeGovy and Ozempic boosted profits?
According to February 2025 reports, the drug company reported a 22% pre-tax profit boost to $17.8 billion. And the profits are having a positive impact on the country’s overall economy.
Now, Denmark is leading the region as one of the fastest-growing economies.
In a tiny port town called Kalundborg, a community with fewer than 17,000 residents, the development of new Novo Nordisk facilities is one of the biggest investments in Danish history.
The ripple effect is far-reaching: from expanding motorway construction to boosting local hot dog stands, the entire community is seeing the benefits of the pharmaceutical boom.
Real estate prices in Kalundborg are climbing, new restaurants and shops are opening, and local schools are preparing for an influx of families relocating for job opportunities.
Even shipping routes are being optimized to accommodate increased production.
Novo Nordisk announced a collaboration with popular telehealth company Hims & Hers Health in April, allowing Hims to sell the pharmaceutical’s Wegovy. However, Novo Nordisk revealed this morning that the brands will be cutting ties, with Novo arguing that Hims supplying semaglutide was not in accordance with the law.
Hims’ shares quickly fell 31%, per Reuters, if you needed further evidence of the power of weight loss drugs on the economy.
Danish epicenter for weight loss drug production booming
Novo Nordisk’s industrial site in Kalundborg makes half of the world’s insulin supply. While insulin has been the company’s primary export, weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy are on the rise. Billions will be poured into the region over the next few years.
Roughly 12% of Americans reported having taken a GLP-1 medication, which includes semaglutide, the active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, per a May 2024 KFF Health Tracking Poll.
Denmark’s economic boom spurned comical conversation on Reddit, where users discussed the financial influence of weight and body image.
Many in the r/TodayILearned subreddit shared their views on the profitability of making people skinny.
“You’ll never go broke making people skinny or giving them hard-ons,” one user commented.
“Lose weight through constant ejaculation!” another responded.
Others were not shocked at the drug’s impact on the economy.
“The stuff is life changing, not surprised one bit,” one commenter said.
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