WeightWatchers is 'here to stay' it says, after filing for bankruptcy

WeightWatchers has insisted it is ‘here to stay’ and it is ‘business as usual’ after filing for bankruptcy protections in the USA.

The global weight loss support brand with more than three million members is undergoing a court-supervised financial restructuring to eliminate more than $1.15 billion in debt.

The UK headquarters for WW used to be based in Maidenhead, at Millennium House in Ludlow Road, but from December 2023 it moved to offices in Regus House, Bath Road, Slough.

Following questions about the future of the company across all countries where it operates, the UK website for WW released an FAQ about what its members can expect moving forward.

It says it has reached an agreement with key financial partners to help set it up for ‘long-term success,’ and it is ‘proactively taking steps to strengthen our financial position for future growth.’

WW says this will give it ‘greater flexibility’ to invest in products and tools.

Moving forward, the company will be focused on enhancing its digital and member experience and expanding its telehealth business.

The company’s telehealth business grew by 57 per cent in the first quarter of 2025, and is a major focus of the company’s future strategy.

Meanwhile, WW will continue to offer its weight management solutions ‘with no interruptions’ and it will be ‘business as usual’ across its service.

There will be no disruptions to the membership, including:

• the programmes
• virtual or in-person workshops – studios remain open
• coaching sessions
• access to the mobile app, which will continue to provide support from the WW team
• existing or future gift cards
• member rewards programmes.

Writing on its website, WW said: “For the over six decades we’ve been in business, many diet trends, fads, and competitors have come and gone – but WeightWatchers always stands the test of time. This time is no different.

“We will continue to serve our members and support them on their journeys to live healthier, longer lives.”

“We will come out of this process stronger, and with a healthier financial foundation that allows us to keep investing in what matters most: our mission and our members.”

The bankruptcy process

WeightWatchers has debt dating back decades, the company says, and this is accruing interest – losing money that ‘could otherwise be utilised to invest in the business.’

As such, it is going through a chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the USA.

Unlike insolvency processes in other countries, this does not mean the company is going out of business or liquidating.

Instead, it allows for a restructuring of a company’s balance sheet, reducing annual interest costs by about $50million and extending the timeline for repaying what is left.

This is being done as a ‘pre-packaged’ plan which has already been agreed with the majority of its lenders.

After ‘careful planning and discussions’ and after ‘exploring all options’ WW chose a chapter 11 process because it believed this would be the ‘smoothest and most efficient’ course.

WW expects to exit bankruptcy in around 40 days, remaining as a publicly traded company, which would signify continued stability.

All suppliers and creditors will be paid in full and employees will be paid on time, WW says.