As someone from the UK, Techy, nerdy people can know, but normies don't.
Also, I'd add that gym bros definitely have heard of them, especially if they are familiar with steroids.
The GLP-1 drugs are probably the main cause of this. We have this amazing class of compounds that work really well, But are priced pretty high, at least considering lower UK wages.
So there is a big incentive to look at getting these much cheaper from China. You hear about this happening, and then you see the fact that these companies have big catalogues full of other peptides that are a crypto payment and a click away.
I strongly suspect that peptide use is more common amongst the botox/filler crowd than techies in the UK. Most aesthetics clinics have been pushing peptide-based skincare for years, so it was only a small step into injectables for them.
And, as you say, the gym performance / sports crowd.
The BBC and the Guardian have covered it fairly neutrally, but the likes of the Daily Mail and gossip mags have been both more frequent and more breathless.
Not just clinics, but mainstream skincare and cosmetics companies have been doing topical peptide products for the past 10 years. You can get a peptide serum from a drugstore for ~$30.
