Tupperware is an American home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products for the kitchen and home. In 1942,
Earl Tupper
Earl Silas Tupper (July 28, 1907 – October 3, 1983) was an American businessman and inventor, best known as the inventor of Tupperware, an airtight plastic container for storing food, and for founding the related home products company that bear ...
developed his first bell-shaped container; the brand products were introduced to the public in 1946.
Tupperware develops, manufactures, and internationally distributes its products as a wholly owned
subsidiary
A subsidiary, subsidiary company or daughter company is a company owned or controlled by another company, which is called the parent company or holding company. Two or more subsidiaries that either belong to the same parent company or having a s ...
of its parent company
Tupperware Brands
Tupperware Brands Corporation, formerly Tupperware Corporation, is an American multinational company that produces home product lines that includes kitchen gadgets, preparation, storage containers, and serving products for the kitchen and home. ...
; as of 2007, it was sold by means of approximately 1.9 million direct salespeople on contract.
In 2013, the top marketplace for Tupperware was
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
, which topped
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
as the second. Indonesia's sales in 2013 were more than $200 million.
Company history
![Tupperware plastic containers](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Tupperware_plastic_containers.jpeg)
Tupperware was developed in 1946 by
Earl Tupper
Earl Silas Tupper (July 28, 1907 – October 3, 1983) was an American businessman and inventor, best known as the inventor of Tupperware, an airtight plastic container for storing food, and for founding the related home products company that bear ...
(1907-1983) in
Leominster, Massachusetts
Leominster ( ) is a city in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the second-largest city in Worcester County, with a population of 43,782 at the 2020 census. Leominster is located north of Worcester and northwest of Boston. Both ...
. He developed plastic containers to be used in households to contain food and keep them airtight, which featured a then-patented "burping seal". Tupper had already invented the plastic for Tupperware in 1938, but the product succeeded with the emergence of the "sale through presentation" idea, held in a party setting.
Tupperware developed a
direct marketing
Direct marketing is a form of communicating an offer, where organizations communicate directly to a pre-selected customer and supply a method for a direct response. Among practitioners, it is also known as ''direct response marketing''. B ...
strategy to sell products known as the
Tupperware party
Tupperware is an American home products line that includes preparation, storage, and serving products for the kitchen and home. In 1942, Earl Tupper developed his first bell-shaped container; the brand products were introduced to the public in 1 ...
. The Tupperware party enabled women of the 1950s to earn an income while keeping their focus in the domestic domain.
The "party plan" model relies on characteristics generally assumed of housewives (e.g., party planning, hosting a party, sociable relations with friends and neighbors).
Brownie Wise
Brownie Mae Humphrey (May 25, 1913 – September 24, 1992) professionally Brownie Wise, was a pioneering American saleswoman largely responsible for the success of the home products company Tupperware, through her development of the "party plan ...
(1913–92) recognized Tupperware's potential as a commodity. She realized that she had to be creative and therefore started to throw these Tupperware parties. Wise, a former sales representative of Stanley Home Products, developed the strategy. As a result, Wise was made vice president of marketing in 1951. Wise soon created Tupperware Parties Inc.
During the early 1950s, Tupperware's sales and popularity exploded, thanks in large part to Wise's influence among women who sold Tupperware, and some of the famous "jubilees" celebrating the success of Tupperware ladies at lavish and outlandishly themed parties. At a time when women came back from working during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
only to be told to "go back to the kitchen", Tupperware was known as a method of empowering women and giving them a toehold in the postwar business world.
The tradition of Tupperware's "Jubilee" style events continues to this day, with rallies being held in major cities to recognize and reward top-selling and top-recruiting individuals, teams, and organizations.
Tupperware spread to Europe in 1960 when Mila Pond hosted Tupperware parties in
Weybridge
Weybridge () is a town in the Borough of Elmbridge in Surrey, England, around southwest of central London. The settlement is recorded as ''Waigebrugge'' and ''Weibrugge'' in the 7th century and the name derives from a crossing point of the ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
, and other locations around the world. At the time, a strict
dress code
A dress code is a set of rules, often written, with regard to what clothing groups of people must wear. Dress codes are created out of social perceptions and norms, and vary based on purpose, circumstances, and occasions. Different societies an ...
was required for Tupperware ladies, with skirts and stockings (tights) worn at all times, and white gloves often accompanying the outfit.
A technique called "carrot calling" helped promote the parties: representatives would travel
door-to-door
Door-to-door is a canvassing technique that is generally used for sales, marketing, advertising, evangelism or campaigning, in which the person or persons walk from the door of one house to the door of another, trying to sell or advertise a p ...
in a neighborhood and ask housewives to "run an experiment" in which
carrot
The carrot ('' Daucus carota'' subsp. ''sativus'') is a root vegetable, typically orange in color, though purple, black, red, white, and yellow cultivars exist, all of which are domesticated forms of the wild carrot, ''Daucus carota'', nat ...
s would be placed in a Tupperware container and compared with "anything that you would ordinarily leave them in"; it would often result in the scheduling of a Tupperware party.
Rexall
Rexall was a chain of American drugstores, and the name of their store-branded products. The stores, having roots in the federation of United Drug Stores starting in 1903, licensed the Rexall brand name to as many as 12,000 drug stores across th ...
, by now the owner of the Tupperware brand, sold its namesake drugstores in 1977, and renamed itself Dart Industries. Dart merged with
Kraftco to form Dart & Kraft. The company demerged, with the former Dart assets renamed Premark International.
Tupperware Brands
Tupperware Brands Corporation, formerly Tupperware Corporation, is an American multinational company that produces home product lines that includes kitchen gadgets, preparation, storage containers, and serving products for the kitchen and home. ...
was spun off from Premark in 1996; Premark was acquired by
Illinois Tool Works
Illinois Tool Works Inc. or ITW is an American Fortune 200 company that produces engineered fasteners and components, equipment and consumable systems, and specialty products. It was founded in 1912 by Byron L. Smith and has built its growth on ...
three years later.
In 2003, Tupperware closed down operations in the
UK and
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
, citing customer dissatisfaction with their direct sales model. There has been limited importer-based distribution since then. The company announced a formal relaunch in the UK in mid-2011, and recruited UK staff, but in December the relaunch was cancelled.
In May 2018, the Israeli daily ''
TheMarker
''TheMarker'' ( he, דה-מרקר) is a Hebrew-language daily business newspaper published by the Haaretz group in Israel.
''TheMarker'' was founded in 1999 by journalist and entrepreneur Guy Rolnik along with Haaretz group and U.S.-based invest ...
'', reported that Tupperware will withdraw from Israel leaving 2,000 agents without a job. The article attributed this decision to the regional headquarters which manages other Middle Eastern countries. Tupperware Israel relaunched in December 2020 as an online shop.
In March 2021 Tupperware closed down in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
.
In August 2022 Tupperware announced it would be leaving the New Zealand market in late 2022.
On November 2, 2022, after publishing quarterly results, the company said its inability to maintain compliance with its credit agreement raises substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. The stock value dropped more than 40%.
Tupperware is now sold in almost 100 countries, after peaking at more than a hundred in 1996. Its headquarters are located in
Orlando Florida.
According to Yale's Chief Executive Leadership Institute, Tupperware is listed as a company that has refused to curtail its business in Russia after the
2022 Russian Invasion of Ukraine
On 24 February 2022, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, which began in 2014. The invasion has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths on both sides. It has caused Europe's largest refugee crisis since World War II. An ...
.
Tupperware parties
![Tupperware party](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f9/Tupperware_party.jpg)
Tupperware is still sold mostly through a
party plan
The party plan is a method of marketing products by hosting what is presented as a social event at which products will be offered for sale. It is a form of direct selling. The primary system for generating sales leads for home party plan sales i ...
, with rewards for hosts and hostesses. In some countries like
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
, products can be purchased online without a salesperson. A Tupperware party is run by a Tupperware "consultant" for a host or hostess who invites friends and neighbors into their home to see the product line. Tupperware hosts and hostesses are rewarded with free products based on the level of sales made at their party. Parties also take place in workplaces, schools, and other community groups.
To stay in touch with its sales force, Tupperware published the monthly magazine ''Tupperware Sparks''. The magazine had snapshots of saleswomen posing with awards and recognition for high sales. To avoid spending money on advertising, Tupperware created events that attracted free publicity.
In most countries, Tupperware's sales force is organized in a tiered structure with consultants at the bottom, managers and star managers over them, and next various levels of directors, with Legacy Executive Directors at the top level. In recent years, Tupperware has eliminated distributorships in the US.
The
multi-level marketing
Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called network marketing or pyramid selling, is a controversial marketing strategy for the sale of products or services in which the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling th ...
strategy adopted by Tupperware has been criticized as manipulative. Statistics released by Tupperware in 2018 showed that 94% of its active distributors remained on the lowest level of the pyramid, with average gross earnings of $653.
In recent years, Tupperware in North America has moved to a new business model which includes more emphasis on direct marketing channels and eliminated its dependency on authorized distributorships. This transition included selling through
Target
Target may refer to:
Physical items
* Shooting target, used in marksmanship training and various shooting sports
** Bullseye (target), the goal one for which one aims in many of these sports
** Aiming point, in field artillery, fi ...
stores in the US and Superstores in Canada with disappointing results. Tupperware states this hurt direct sales. In countries with a strong focus on marketing through parties (such as
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
), Tupperware's market share and profitability continue to decline.
![Tupperware (2)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/32/Tupperware_%282%29.jpg)
In many countries, Tupperware products have a lifetime guarantee. The company is best known for its plastic bowls and storage containers. In recent years it has expanded into stainless steel cookware, cutlery, chef's knives, and other kitchen gadgets. After experiencing a slump in sales and public image in the mid-1990s, the company created several new product lines to attract a younger market.
In some countries including Belgium, Australia, Ireland, and the US Tupperware markets its parties and career opportunities through mall kiosks.
In China, Tupperware products are sold through franchised "entrepreneurial shopfronts", of which there were 1,900 in 2005, due to pyramid selling laws enacted in 1998.
The Chinese characters 特百惠 are used as the brand name, and translate as "hundred benefit".
An episode of ''
All in the Family
''All in the Family'' is an American television sitcom that aired on CBS for nine seasons, from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979. Afterwards, it was continued with the spin-off series '' Archie Bunker's Place'', which picked up where ''All in ...
'' featured Edith hosting a Tupperware party.
Gender aspects and cultural influence
![Small authentic tupperware](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Small_authentic_tupperware.JPG)
Feminist views vary regarding the Tupperware format of sales through parties and the social and economic role of women portrayed by the Tupperware model. Opposing views state that the intended gendered product and selling campaign further domesticates women, and keeps their predominant focus on homemaking.
The positive feminist views consider that Tupperware provided work for women who were pregnant or otherwise not guaranteed their position at work due to unequal gender laws in the workplace. The company promoted the betterment of women and the opportunities Tupperware offered women. The negative view includes the restriction of women to the
domestic sphere and limiting the real separation between running the household and a career.
[Clarke, Allison J. (1999) ''Tupperware'', Washington: ]Smithsonian Institution Press
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
. pp. 192–193. . The emergence of Tupperware in the American market created a new kind of opportunity for an underrepresented labor demographic: women, and especially suburban housewives.
See also
*
Gold party
A gold party is similar to a Tupperware party in that a small group gathers at a host's home to sell their gold jewelry to a gold buyer. They were popular as people looked for ways to raise money during the Late-2000s recession. The buyer, general ...
*
Hana Cobi Plastic
Lock & Lock is a household products company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Since its establishment in 1978, Lock & Lock has been exporting products to 119 countries worldwide
The company has a wide range of product categories for food co ...
aka Lock & Lock
*
Newell Rubbermaid
Newell Brands is an American manufacturer, marketer and distributor of consumer and commercial products. The company's brands and products include Rubbermaid storage and trash containers; home organization and reusable container products; Contig ...
*
Tub (container)
A tub is an open-top circular or oblong container. In earlier times they were made from wooden stave (wood), staves held together with iron hoops and were made by cooper (profession), coopers. Modern tubs used in industry might be made from con ...
References
Further reading
* Charles Duhigg
"Why Short Sellers Want to Crash the Tupperware Party,"''New York Times,'' Nov. 17, 2006.
* Elayne Rapping, "Tupperware and Women", ''Radical America'', vol. 14, no. 6 (Nov.–Dec. 1980), pp. 39–49.
External links
Official website"Tupperware!"program from PBS' ''
American Experience
''American Experience'' is a television program airing on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in the United States. The program airs documentaries, many of which have won awards, about important or interesting events and people in American his ...
'', 2005.
* George J. Yarbrough
''The Wonderful World of Tupperware'' Orlando, FL: United Film Productions, n.d.
. 1964 Public Relations film.
{{Authority control
1948 establishments in Massachusetts
American brands
American inventions
Brands that became generic
Containers
Direct sales companies
Food storage
Kitchenware brands
Manufacturing companies established in 1948
Personal selling
Plastic brands
Products introduced in 1948
Plastics companies of the United States
Companies based in Orlando, Florida