Thoughts on Tupperware as the company goes out of business.
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| As far as I can remember, I only ever went to one or two Tupperware parties in the 1970s. The only reason anyone I knew would host a Tupperware party was that there was always a lottery at each party. The winner received some fabulous piece of Tupperware. The loser had to host a party. The pressure was on! |
Basically, virtually no customers want to host or to attend promotional parties any more. The Tupperware company, which is in deep financial trouble, finally started selling their products at Target last fall. However, this departure from their 77 years selling only at parties is probably too late to save them. Both the party and the product are effectively obsolete. You can buy containers that are as good or better from Oxo or Rubbermaid or ZipLock or several other manufacturers. As an expert quoted in CNN earlier this month said: “The company used to be a hotbed of innovation with problem-solving kitchen gadgets, but it has really lost its edge.”
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| Women wore dresses to mid-century Tupperware parties. There were games, and prizes for odd things about your clothing. At one party, I won some small Tupperware thing because (get this) my dress had a side zipper! You probably never heard of a dress with a side zipper. Don't ask. |
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| The Tupperware company utterly failed to keep up with modern times. Among other things, many people don't want to use plastic where it can be avoided. |
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| Vintage Tupperware juice pitcher. I never thought it was that exceptional. A favorite was the cake lid, but it didn't seem that great to me. |
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| More vintage Tupperware. Lots of plastic mugs, tumblers, and other beverage containers as well as ice buckets, ice-cube trays, and more. Perfected for the tastes of housewives of the 1940s, 50s, 60s 70s... |
I had virtually no Tupperware and never saw what the big deal was about the products, which always seemed overpriced. The parties were kind of silly and didn't appeal to me or to my friends. When we lived in Berkeley in the 60s, I heard rumors about a bunch of hippies who volunteered to host a Tupperware party. The naive Tupperware saleslady didn't realize that her prospects were all high on some then-very-illegal substance. The guests definitely thought the whole sales pitch and all the games were hilarious!
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| This is the Tupperware toy every mother that I knew thought her child should have. You can still buy them. |
The history of the Tupperware company, which first created a new type of plastic and then innovated the in-home sales parties is fascinating. An article in the Washington Post summarized the roles of Earl Tupper, the engineer who invented self-sealing plastic containers and lids, and Brownie Wise, who invented the Tupperware party. She became the leader of "a raucous women’s world of guerilla sales and marketing." I guess everyone has a Tupperware story, but I feel no nostalgia! (Washington Post, April 23, 2023)
Blog post © 2023 mae sander.
All photos taken from random internet sites.
Shared with Elizabeth's Tuesday blog party.
I remember my mom had a few Tupperware items but I never have. I got rid of all plastic probably more than 20 years ago so no tears shed by myself either. lol
ReplyDeleteI do not own any Tupperware, I am not fan of the parties. I think I do have some of the Rubbermaid containers. Take care, have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI heard about Tupperware parties but never went to one. Although at work one of my co-workers had parties in her home then also sold items at work to whoever wanted them. I bought a cake carrier once, and still have it. That’s about it. I have seen many Tupperware for sale at estate sales but would be afraid to buy any because being old plastic they must contain the banned substances.
ReplyDeleteI went to a couple of Tupperware parties as a young woman and felt obligated to buy something. It was never my cup of tea, though I do have a couple of pieces still hanging around the house.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a dated concept.... when I heard last week that the company was going out of business, my first thought was, "Really? They're still around?" Never been a customer, and I've always hated anything sold on the MLM model.
ReplyDeleteI don't have any nor ever owned any Tupperware, but I think the world has changed enough that selling parties are obsolete. One of my closest friend's Dad worked for Tupperware, and even though that was long ago, I heard a lot about the company. It is kind of sad that a lot of these old time companies are going away,but it's also strange that these companies didn't have the foresight to change their business models earlier. Have a great T day Mae. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteWe used it so much.
ReplyDeleteI heard about this. Peculiar how things can go off the rails.
Tupperware goes out of business?! I never had one piece but even in Germany you heard of them.
ReplyDeleteSince... forever! The parties (I don´t think here).
The hippies-story made me laugh!
When we traveled Australia´s West in 1999 a hippie-gang took the same route - oh, boy, that VW-bus was smelly and once a dude asked me if the free showers were warm. On my "no" he turned around and went back to the stinky bus!!!!
Cliché? No! LOL.
A Tupperware toy???!
Interesting post, really.
Mother had a lettuce keeper and a rectangular storage container. I never had any. I don't like the party idea, for one thing, and have had good results from products I bought off the shelf. I hadn't realized Tupperware made mugs...
ReplyDeleteHappy T Tuesday!
I still have my blueberry colored canister set. One of the gifts I got at my bridal shower. I have Oxo cannisters, too, but I have to say the Tupperwear seal better. I also "won" a prize, a tiny, Tupperwear bowl which I keep gold gouache fresh. We still have the shape sorter, too. Happy T Day
ReplyDeleteSorry I am so late visiting. I now have four cats and two households to take care of, and last night I visited Sally at the hospital till they threw me out. She finally got a room late last night. Before that she was stuck in the ER on a cot.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother made a dress with a side zipper in it. She made most of her clothes and mine too, until I started high school. When I started working full time after high school, I would buy clothes I thought she might like. She was so tiny, she pretty much had to make her own clothes if she wanted something to fit properly. I remember she also made clothes she combined from more than one pattern. So much for that. We are here to talk Tupperware.
I got roped into going with a "friend" to a Tupperware party. I ended up buying a four piece set of blue tupper that held flour, tea, coffee, sugar. I now keep flour, sugar, and cocoa powder in mine. One is empty. At least they are not the thin ones like in the photos. My lids look a bit like the cup "saucers" you shared. BTW, my container of choice is Lock-N-Lock. They are easy on my arthritic fingers to open.
Thanks for sharing this Tupper "tribute" with us for T this Tuesday, dear Mae.
We used to have tupperware parties here, too, back in the 70s/80s, but I never bought anything from tem. As you say, there are good containers to be had for much less money. Happy T Day, Valerie
ReplyDeleteI remember those Tupperware items when I was growing up, although I don't recall Tupperware parties. And yes, I have had dresses with a side zipper. They are still available in places, but unusual to find.
ReplyDeleteHappy Tea Day,
Kate
I have a lot of my original Tupperware and still use it. They had a lifetime guarantee, so if something cracked, you could get it replaced. I have Tupperware I used everyday! It basically never wears out. I had no idea they sold it at target! Just like Avon, now they have Avon stores in strip malls. It is a different world!
ReplyDeleteHappy T Day.
I have gone to my share of Tupperware parties and have a few remaining pieces from a few years back. You are right - there are plenty of alternatives that are better, cheaper, and easier to buy. They did not keep up with the times and they are super high. A friend of mine had a virtual party last month - I looked a the catalog but wasn't willing to purchase a bowl set for $60.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post, Mae. Happy T-day and hugz
My boys had the shapes toy and the mugs we had in our Caravan, as you say there are so many companies making storage, they always seemed quite expensive too.
ReplyDeleteHave a good week
Jan S
I still use some of my mom's old Tupperware. Things are made to last anymore. Plus, the colors aren't as groovy!
ReplyDeleteI probably had tupperware at some point in my life but I don't remember ever going to a party. Maybe it was a mercy buy from someone at work. I've pretty much ditched most of my plastic storage in favor of some pottery bowls with lids I found at Costco. I can use the bowls for soup or fruit but with the lids are great for storing most leftovers. You're right about the parties -- no one wants to go to them anymore and why should they when within a day or two (or a week at most) they can get a wider selection online, if not at their local store.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize Tupperware is going out of business! I attended one party and hosted one in the early 2000s and have SO MUCH stuff from them. The colors in my era were wild: yellow, orange, hot pink, and red.
ReplyDeleteOh Tupperware nostalgia! I used to be a fan. When I grew up (in the fifties) my mum had Tupperware. They were still made in Florida then. I still have some of those pieces. They are indestructable. When I started living on my own I hosted parties. Yes, They were silly. Any excuse to get rid of small items through games etc. But we had fun, and if you hosted you always got a nice present. I always made sure I had about four friends attending. I told them they didn't have to buy anything as I did all my orders at work. My colleagues liked the product but didn't want to attend a party, so I took orders. I usually got quite a list of orders so the people actually attending didn't have to buy anything and I still got my hostess present.
ReplyDeleteThen I moved to Italy and there I applied the same strategy.
In those days it was an innovative product and of good quality. I suppose my Tupperware (what's left of my collection) is nearly antique now. I'll hang on to it as it might be worth something by the time I die.
Happy belated T-Day,
Hugs,
Lisca
I remember the rounds of Tupperware parties and the silly games! The shapes ball made me smile, we had one......and all of my friends with children had one too! I don't have any now as when I split with my first husband I didn't take any of my kitchen stuff! Belated Happy T Day, Chrisx
ReplyDelete