Weight Watchers & Nestle

[tk1999]

True Trillian - I haven't bought any of the nestle products and it does bug me to see the adverts LOL. It is great that with WW we can choose what we eat.

One glimmer of hope is that once I am a lifetime member I won't have to pay and I know that will take away the icky feeling and hey it might even help me to get to my goal weight quicker. I can see me sprouting off at meetings about what motivates me "I am motivated so that I can achieve lifetime membership and no longer have to pay which means that none of my money will be going to Nestle"

[Trillian]

I don't think that buy purchasing WW that any money goes to Nestle, I would assume that they are the ones paying WW. I wonder if there is info anywhere to find out more?

[tk1999]

I haven't been able to find any... though what you say makes sense. nestle would be paying WW for the advertising space etc. I have been sitting on this thread for a few days now trying to find out what I can but to be honest I haven't had much luck (or time).

I will keep looking and post what I find.

[Trillian]

Ah-HA! I found something interesting - Nestle are the parent company that owns Jenny Craig, so I'm thinking that buy buying advertising in WW products they are effectively hedging their bets in the weight loss war LOL. Also found an article about WW suing Nestle for misusing their logo and points systems.

NEW YORK, Sept 16 (Reuters) - Weight Watchers International Inc (WTW.N) on Wednesday sued Nestle AG (NESN.VX), accusing the Swiss-based food company of illegally using its name to promote low-fat frozen dinners and ice cream.
According to a lawsuit filed in Manhattan federal court, Nestle is without permission displaying trademarks for Weight Watchers and its "Points" weight loss system on packaging for its Stouffer's Lean Cuisine products, including frozen pizzas and flatbreads, and its Skinny Cow diet ice cream products.
Weight Watchers said the displays are intended to take advantage of its "goodwill and high reputation among consumers" in the field of weight control, which the New York-based company said it has "painstakingly built" over 46 years.
It also said the displays could confuse consumers into believing Weight Watchers produced or endorsed consumption of Nestle products, some of which compete with its own.
Though well-known for chocolate products, Nestle is also the parent of Jenny Craig Inc, a major Weight Watchers rival. Nestle bought Jenny Craig in 2006 for about $600 million.
Nestle did not immediately return calls seeking comment. The company has U.S. operations in Glendale, California.
Weight Watchers is seeking remedies including restitution of improper profits, triple damages, punitive damages, and a halt to misuse of the trademarks.
Shares of Weight Watchers closed Wednesday up 28 cents, or 1.1 percent, at $26.29 on the New York Stock Exchange.
The case is Weight Watchers International Inc v. Nestle USA Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan), No. 09-7964. (Additional reporting by Aarthi Sivaraman in Seattle; Editing by Gary Hill)

[tk1999]

Mmm that is interesting. I do recall seeing something about that in my google searches but didn't click on them - thanks for quoting it Trill... LOL I am so lazy to read links.

I think I might to WW head office and see where that gets me.

[misty]

None of the money you pay to WW (either for meetings or meeting products) goes to nestle.
WW does have a joint venture with nestle - this involves WW endorsing many products sold by nestle in the supermarkets. They are nestle products. If you don't want to support nestle, simply don't buy nestle products. there are other companies WW do joint ventures with as well, such as muffin break. In NZ WW also have a joint venture with MacDonalds, where certain meals are endorsed by WW. Have a look at the packaging of anything you buy, anything labelled nestle is nestle, if it is simply labeled WW with no nestle label, then it is not nestle and no portion of the profit is going to nestle. Because of this joint venture and endorsement deal you will find many adverts in WW publications.

[misty]

Not sure where you got that article from, but that must be an american issue. Because in Australia there is definitely a joint venture in place with nestle.