WeightWatchers Files for Bankruptcy — Is Ozempic to Blame?

Cultivating a body-positive outlook often takes tremendous strength for many individuals who must eschew the constant barrage of societal advice that dictates individuals of a certain BMI must walk tens of thousands of steps each day or drink a green juice for three meals a day to look attractive in their 80s. Indeed, we are a culture that glamorizes skinny and demonizes excess weight.

Enter WeightWatchers, a long-time program that many individuals sought for support and responsible guidance.

The program afforded its members the opportunity to rely on one another for emotional support in their health journeys. From delicious recipes to realistic goals that didn't require the literal starvation of one's body to attain unrealistic milestones in a short period of time, WeightWatchers was often one of the few programs that often grounded its ethos in reality.

Today, a new generation of individuals is seeking weight loss at every corner. Is WeightWatchers still around? Let's explore.

Since 1963, WeightWatchers has supported the health journeys of countless individuals and families. On May 6, however, a cryptic message was posted to the company's Instagram account, stating: "We’re here to stay. Today, WeightWatchers made an important step towards securing our financial foundation so we can better serve our members for the decades to come."

The vague message left its 1.8 million Instagram followers wondering: what, exactly, happened to WeightWatchers?

On May 6, WW International, Inc. announced in a news release that the company "will implement a financial reorganization transaction" to effectively resolve $1.15 billion in debt.

"WeightWatchers has voluntarily initiated 'pre-packaged' chapter 11 cases in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (the 'Court')," per the news release.

Translation, according to the WSJ Pro Bankruptcy section of The Wall Street Journal: the company "has filed for bankruptcy to adjust to the increasing use of drugs like Ozempic for weight loss."

The WW International, Inc. team notes that WeightWatchers will remain operational during this time, and that the move to file for bankruptcy is a strategic one that will ensure a long-term future for WeightWatchers.

Three realities can each be true: It's hard to maintain a brand like this for more than 60 years; it's hard to adapt and amass millions of followers across social media channels, as WeightWatchers has done; and it's astounding the company racked up more than $1 billion in debt.

"WeightWatchers has also struggled with the advent of free fitness apps and advice from social-media influencers, which have provided other channels for women who seek guidance to hit their weight-loss target," per WSJ.

It's clear that long-term, sustainable solutions to weight and health concerns are being eschewed in favor of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and a slew of counterfeit injectables.

Despite legal concerns over Ozempic and terribly ineffective social media recommendations for drinks meant to mimic Ozempic, support for the medication persists. Consumer reliance on it remains a roadblock that WeightWatchers is trying hard to overcome.