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Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

bbc.com

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Re: Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

#41
post #19

I remember my mum having a Tupperware party in the early seventies. She had all her friends round for a social gathering and to buy plastic containers. It sounds bizarre now.

Oh, yeah that sounds bizarre... I've heard of tupperware parties but I always assumed that it was like a picnic where you brought your own food (in tupperware (or similar) containers) and shared with others.

Oh no, and it was way worse than that: No-one was allowed to leave until they had bought the inventory AND the next host was designated. Under penalty of social ostracism.

The host was trained for that before hosting. It was basically a pyramid scheme.

Being presented with an invitation was very rude. And you didn’t know what to do with it.

Tupperware parties were predatory behavior, and you’d host them and pretend everything is alright because you wanted to give the hot potato to someone else.

Re: Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

#42
People are also more aware of plastics in their food and using plastic tupperware in the microwave might add a large amount of plastic to the food [1]. Due to this I also switched to glass containers, which are also easier to clean.

[1] https://news.unl.edu/article/nebraska-study-finds-billions-o...

Re: Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

#43
I just remember how ubiquitous Tupperware was growing up in the 1980s.

Every family I knew had the exact same Tupperware pitcher in the fridge, and it was always full of Kool-Aid or Sweet Tea. (Looking on Amazonm this single pitcher is now $38?)

https://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Floresta-gal-Red-Pitcher/d...

It's gotta be about $0.25 in materials to make. Spending too much money on ads? And not sure where they are spending money -- most of the designs on the Tupperware site seem dated, even "heritage" themed. Ha, so it's not going into R&D!

Anyway I tossed the last of my plastic containers over a decade ago and replaced them with Pyrex Snapware.

Costco will periodically have sales on this set, and I scooped up 3-4 packs (I think I paid $20 / each). Haven't needed to buy anything in a decade, they're all still going strong.

https://www.costco.com/Snapware-Pyrex-18-piece-Glass-Food-St...

Re: Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

#44
post #42

People are also more aware of plastics in their food and using plastic tupperware in the microwave might add a large amount of plastic to the food [1]. Due to this I also switched to glass containers, which are also easier to clean. [1] https://news.unl.edu/article/nebraska-study-finds-billions-o...

Nobody sane microwaves their food in plastic containers. They are used only for storage and transportation.

Re: Tupperware files for bankruptcy as demand slides

#46
post #24

I don’t know if this applies to all the 40 countries Tupperware is selling to, but at least here in Germany, the need to „eintuppern“ (to put something into a Tupperware container) has massively decreased. Up until the 90s it was much more common to cook in abundance e.g. on the weekend and store the leftovers to eaten throughout the week or even deep frozen. These days it is much more common to cook only what you in…

All that is true, but food containers still sell. People have lunch boxes etc. Tupperware has not innovated, patents have expired. Same injection mold plastics that eventually gets color stains from the food. Cheap knockoffs everywhere. Higher quality plastic containers available. Tupperware brand is associated with grandmothers and valued only by them. Younger people don't buy them. People who are ready to pay more…

> Tupperware brand is associated with grandmothers

Where I'm from Tupperware is associated more with multilevel marketing. While plastic containers are common Tupperware branded are not.

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