Costco joins the weight-loss business by selling Ozempic and Wegovy
Costco will soon begin selling the popular weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic through 500 of its pharmacies nationwide. Costco members will need a prescription for the injectable pen.
A four-week supply of either drug will cost $499, The New York Times reports — about half the manufacturer’s list price for Ozempic and about two-thirds less than that for Wegovy.
Costco executive members and customers who have the Costco Citibank credit card will reportedly get a 2% discount, as well as a cash-back reward through the Costco prescription program. Members who have health insurance might also end up paying less.
Drug maker seeks new markets
Novo Nordisk, which makes both drugs, continues to branch out as it deals with competition from less expensive versions.
The company recently reduced the price of Wegovy to $499 per month after competitor Eli Lilly dropped its price for another weight-loss drug, Zepbound, to the same amount. The companies have said the lower prices could allow some customers to pay out of pocket rather than through their insurance plans.
Novo Nordisk now offers both Ozempic and Wegovy at its direct-to-consumer website for $499, the same price as at stores such as Walmart and CVS.
The expansion into Costco opens up access to even more customers; data platform Statista shows that Costco had more than 76 million members at the end of 2024. Costco is the nation’s third-largest retailer, behind only Walmart and Amazon.
“We continue to find new ways to make access to our medicines more convenient, meeting people where they are,” a Novo Nordisk spokeswoman told the Times.
Novo Nordisk reported sales of $24 billion in the first half of 2025. But it forecasts that sales will slow down to round out the year. Its share price has fallen by 50% in 2025.
Popularity of GLP-1 drugs
About 7 million Americans now take a GLP-1 drug. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, imitates the body’s natural hormone and reduces hunger by signaling to the brain that a person is full. Its popularity has taken off after initially being prescribed for people with diabetes and those who suffer from obesity.
The New York Times, citing research from Morgan Stanley, estimates that 24 million Americans could be using the various weight-loss drugs in the next decade.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
