The highly sought-after weight-loss medications, Ozempic and Wegovy, are making their way to Costco warehouses. This move comes as their manufacturer intensifies efforts to stay ahead of a rapidly growing market, especially with numerous more affordable generic alternatives emerging.
Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical giant behind these drugs, announced on Friday that both Ozempic and Wegovy, in their convenient prescription-only injectable pen form, will be stocked at over 500 Costco pharmacies nationwide.
For Costco members with a valid prescription, a four-week supply of either Ozempic or Wegovy will cost $499 out-of-pocket.
This price point represents a significant saving, roughly half the standard list price for Ozempic and approximately two-thirds less for Wegovy. It’s important to remember that the ‘list price’ is the initial, undiscounted price set by the manufacturer before any rebates or reductions are applied to distributors or insurance providers.
Furthermore, Costco’s executive members and those holding Costco Citibank credit cards can enjoy additional savings through a cash-back reward program on their prescriptions. Novo Nordisk confirmed that these specific cardholders will receive an extra 2 percent discount.
For insured members, the final price will vary based on individual health insurance plans.
A Novo Nordisk spokeswoman emphasized their commitment to accessibility, stating, “We are continuously exploring innovative avenues to make our medications more readily available and convenient for people, reaching them where they are in their daily lives.”
It’s worth noting that Novo Nordisk already provides a monthly supply of Ozempic and Wegovy for $499 each through its own direct-to-consumer platform, with identical discounts also offered at CVS and Walmart.
In a competitive move earlier this year, Eli Lilly, another major pharmaceutical company, introduced a similar pricing strategy, offering vials of its weight-loss drug, Zepbound, for $499 or less per month.
Following suit, Novo Nordisk also reduced the price of Wegovy to $499 per month in March, specifically for patients who pay out-of-pocket rather than relying on insurance.
The Danish pharmaceutical firm, Novo Nordisk, recently disclosed plans to eliminate 9,000 jobs, approximately 11 percent of its global workforce. This decision reflects a strategic effort to reduce operational costs and revitalize the company’s growth outlook, following a change in its chief executive in May.
Despite reporting $24 billion in global sales during the first half of 2025, Novo Nordisk has seen its share price drop by over 50 percent this year, with expectations for slowing growth in the latter half of the year.
However, by adding Costco to its distribution network, Novo Nordisk stands to gain a substantial influx of new customers, particularly since many health insurance providers still decline coverage for these popular medications.
With over 100 million people frequenting Costco for their shopping needs, and the retailer ranking as the world’s third-largest by revenue (behind only Walmart and Amazon), this expansion could significantly broaden access to the drugs.
The core active ingredient in Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and similar new medications is semaglutide. This compound effectively mimics a natural hormone known as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which plays a crucial role in slowing down digestion and signaling to the brain that the body is full.
A comprehensive analysis, published last year, of the most extensive and prolonged study on semaglutide demonstrated remarkable results: participants who used the medication for four years successfully lost an average of about 10 percent of their body weight and, crucially, maintained that weight loss over time.
Currently, approximately seven million Americans are utilizing GLP-1 drugs. Projections from Morgan Stanley suggest that this number could dramatically increase, potentially reaching 24 million users across the U.S. by 2035.
Recent prescription data from 2019 to 2023 reveals an astounding surge – over 700 percent – in new GLP-1 prescriptions for individuals without diabetes who are categorized as overweight or obese, underscoring the growing demand for these treatments.