Iconic British TV shopping channel teetering on bankruptcy with 16,900 employees affected

Joe Sledge
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:22:01 +0000

QVC Group, the parent company behind the television shopping channel, is preparing to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States.

The Pennsylvania‑based firm disclosed the plan in an annual report submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission this week, confirming it intends to file in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas following a restructuring deal with creditors.

The company aims to complete the process before the end of summer.

The move affects around 16,900 employees, the number on QVC Group’s books at the end of 2025.

TRENDING

Stories

Videos

Your Say

QVC warned of substantial costs linked to preparing the filing and said future access to funding remains uncertain.

“We cannot assure that cash on hand, cash flow from operations will be sufficient to continue to fund our operations,” it said.

The bankruptcy reflects the wider decline of traditional television shopping networks as consumer habits shift. Shoppers are increasingly abandoning cable subscriptions and scheduled programming in favour of digital platforms.

TikTok Shop, Instagram and YouTube livestreams, and influencer‑driven sales channels have gained significant ground, while low‑cost online retailers such as Shein and Temu have further eroded QVC’s market share.

QVC’s American operations have been hit hardest. Sales in 2024 were down nearly 30 per cent from the company’s 2020 peak of more than £10.3billion, and its share price has collapsed from over £663 a decade ago to less than £2.21 this week.

Despite expanding its digital presence and boosting social media activity, the company has been unable to reverse the decline.

The bankruptcy does not directly affect QVC’s international subsidiaries. QVC International — which includes the UK, Germany, Italy and Japan — remained profitable last year, generating around £1.8billion in revenue and nearly £161million in operating income.

British viewers will continue to have access to QVC Beauty, QVC Extra and QVC Style without disruption.

Founded in 1986 by Joseph Myron Segel, QVC originally stood for Quality, Value, Convenience and built a loyal audience, largely women aged 50 and above who made frequent repeat purchases.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS

British farmers face severe cost squeeze as fertiliser and fuel prices soar while income falls

Ed Miliband warns delays to Net Zero plans are 'not acceptable' as wind and solar projects falter

Oil prices plunge over 10 per cent as Strait of Hormuz declared open

Lawrence Duke, clinical professor of marketing at LeBow College of Business, said QVC now competes in a marketplace where “attention is fragmented and switching costs are low.”

He added that competition has intensified as consumers turn to influencer‑led live shopping formats, while traditional scheduled television continues to lose ground to on‑demand digital services.

Low‑cost online marketplaces have further reduced the appeal of TV shopping channels, and QVC’s reliance on repeat purchases from its ageing customer base has become increasingly difficult to sustain.

The company’s attempts to adapt through digital expansion have yet to restore growth.