In the mid-2000s, mini fridges were seen as the ultimate accessory to have inside your teenage bedroom.
You could show off your midnight snacks and countless cans of pop to friends if you had them round for a sleepover, and if it was pink, you received extra points for coolness.
Now, mini fridges are experiencing a renaissance, but rather than sticking chocolate and Fanta inside them, they’re overwhelmingly being used to store weight loss medications.
While the Wegovy pill might’ve just been approved, there are still plenty of people injecting it.
One 2026 study from University College London found that over the last year, 1.6 million Brits have turned towards using GPL-1 injections, and more people are paying for them rather than accessing it on an NHS prescription.
And, considering GLP-1s need to be kept cool (guidance particularly worth paying in mind amid the UK’s spate of hot weather), it’s little wonder people are packing out mini fridges with these jabs instead.
According to statistics published in The Guardian, one luxury cooling appliance company in Essex, Sub-Zero & Wolf, has seen demand for mini fridges increase tenfold since 2024.
The company’s marketing manager revealed clients usually invest in the fridges to store face creams, gut health shots and injectables.
Prices at this particular high-end company start at £5,000, but mini fridges are currently available at the likes of Wilko (£47) Debenhams (£59), and Currys (£79).
Over on TikTok, the girlies are obsessing over mini fridges, both for GPL-1s and beauty products including eye creams, nail polish and lipstick.
One poster, Diana (@luxfashionmakeupvsg) recently shared a fridged she purposefully bought to store her medication.
‘My GLP-1 mini fridge,’ she shared, adding the hashtag #glp1community.
Elsewhere, the millennial mums are determined to keep mini fridges wholesome for their daughters.
One mother, Julianna Claire, films herself restocking her daughter’s pink one, with Babybels packed inside colourful pink cubes, mini pizzas, and peanut butter and jam sandwiches.
Another replenishes hers with giant red strawberries whimsically chopped into heart shapes, sweets, and mini cucumbers.
As Dr Suzanne Wylie, GP and medical adviser for IQDoctor, explains, weight loss medication needs to be stored correctly to make sure it’s being used effectively.
She tells Metro: ‘Before first use, these medications should be kept in a refrigerator at between 2°C and 8°C. Exposure to temperatures outside this range, particularly excessive heat or freezing, can affect the active ingredient and reduce how well the medication works.
‘Once a pen is in use, the storage advice varies slightly depending on the product, so patients should always follow the manufacturer’s guidance as well as any advice from their pharmacist or prescribing clinician.’
However, as more people rely on mini fridges to store medication, Dr Suzanne advises that not all of them are suitable for storing medication.
‘Some cosmetic fridges or inexpensive portable units have fluctuating temperatures or may not reliably stay within the recommended range, which could compromise the medication,’ she says.
‘Ideally, the temperature should be monitored, and the medication should never be stored in the freezer compartment or directly against the cooling element, where it could accidentally freeze.
‘If there’s any doubt about whether a medication has been stored correctly, patients should speak to their pharmacist or GPs, as they can advise whether it’s still suitable to use or whether a replacement may be needed.’
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