LSN : Daily Signals : Stat: Cultural signals emerge in the age of rising GLP-1 use

Lexus redefines space with immersive installations at Milan Design Week

Space by Lexus, Milan Design Week 2026, Italy

Milan – Lexus has unveiled five installations at Milan Design Week 2026, exploring how spatial design could redefine luxury and future mobility.

On show at Superstudio Più until 26 April, the presentation includes the world premiere of Space, a 360-degree immersive installation inspired by the brand’s LS Concept, alongside four works from its Discover Together 2026 co-creation initiative.

Chief branding officer Simon Humphries said: ‘All five works presented this year explore the potential of space… luxury cars will no longer be defined solely by body type, but by the value of the space within.’

Space places visitors at the centre of a sensory environment combining light, sound and visuals, reflecting a shift in direction from solely functional transport to an enriching experience.

The wider programme expands this idea across different interpretations of human and physical space – from a cocoon-like in-car sanctuary where breathing patterns shape responsive light and sound to fibre-optic garments that extend the body into its surroundings, generating wearable space.

For more insights on how the automotive world is transforming in-car experiences through entertainment and smart tech, read our Pimp My Ride report.

Strategic opportunity

Re-imagine automotives as experience spaces. Consider using emotion-led design and integrating data-driven services that create multi-sensory and biometric-responsive environments that personalise in real time

Bao turns food waste into limited-edition ramen dish

Photography by Jonathan Goncalves

UK – London-based Taiwanese restaurant group Bao has partnered with Copenhagen-based start-up Wasted to create a limited-edition ramen dish built entirely from surplus ingredients.

The Wasted Ragu Ramen combines bread-based noodles with a mushroom and kelp ragu, radish greens, peas and jammy egg, alongside a chicken broth made from fried chicken bones. The noodles are made from leftover bread supplied by Alma Bakery in Bermondsey, while the mushroom offcuts and chicken bones come from Bao’s kitchen.

The dish was developed through experimentation to achieve a chewy, elastic noodle texture, with Wasted co-founder Jorge Aguilar noting the importance of achieving chew and bounce from repurposed bread flour.

A limited run of 100 free bowls will be available in Shoreditch, London, alongside a banana split cocktail made using leftover coffee-ground-infused rum, with £1 ($1.35, €1.14) from each dish donated to food redistribution charity The Felix Project.

While industry attention has shifted towards cultivated food, waste-led innovation remains a pragmatic route to resilience. First tracked in our 2022 Adaptive Appetites macrotrend, surplus-led models offer creative ways to reduce cost and volatility.

Strategic opportunity

Audit your supply chain for overlooked food and drink by-products, then reframe surplus innovation as limited-edition drops, positioning sustainability as cultural value and scarcity-led desirability rather than functional responsibility

Stat: Cultural signals emerge in the age of rising GLP-1 use

Photography by Shvets Production

US – GLP-1 adoption in the US is accelerating, with Morgan Stanley forecasting 19m users by 2026 and 55m by 2035 – equivalent to 15% of the population. Expanded access and oral formulations are expected to drive uptake beyond early adopters.

But short-term pressure is building. About 50% of GLP-1 users report cutting calorie intake by more than 20%, primarily through fewer meals and smaller portions. While total calorie consumption in the US is forecast to fall just 1.6% by 2035, the near-term impact is more acute, with food demand facing sustained pressure.

Aligning with analysis from our Neozempic Futures report, cultural signals are beginning to surface. On TikTok, creator @bran__flakezz posted footage of near-empty food stalls during peak evening hours at Coachella festival, attributing the lull to widespread Ozempic use. While anecdotal, the video – viewed nearly 3m times – points to a growing public perception that appetite suppression is reshaping everyday consumption rituals.

For brands, this is both metabolic and cultural. Eating occasions, once social anchors, are being quietly renegotiated – forcing a rethink of format, frequency and function across food, beverage and retail.

Strategic opportunity:

Reframe consumption occasions beyond volume. Design smaller, functional and experience-led formats that align with reduced appetite – from portion-controlled products to low-intensity social rituals that sustain relevance as eating behaviours change