PARTY'S OVER

For years it was a housewife's pride and joy, but now Tupperware could be packing it all in

- NASIFA SULAIMAN

TO ALL intents and purposes, it’s a piece of moulded plastic with a lid, yet it has the ability to ruin family harmony like little else. 

Forget to bring mom’s container back after taking some leftovers to a friend, and you’ll be persona non grata. Lose a lid, and you won’t be spoken to for days. Toss one of her precious bakkies into the wrong cupboard, and you’ll hear about it for months. 

There’s just something about Tupperware that brings out the fierceness in mothers. 

But beware, o ye of little Tupper respect: your mom is about to get a lot more tigerish around her treasured tubs now. 

After 77 years, the company famous for its kitchenware is struggling to stay afloat in the face of fierce competition, glitzy gadgets and anti-plastic consumers. 

“There’s substantial doubt about the ability to continue as a going concern,” Tupperware CEO Miguel Fernandez says, adding the company has “embarked on a journey to turn around operations”. This includes potentially retrenching staff and reviewing its real estate portfolio – but it may be a case of too little, too late. 

Retail analyst Neil Saunders says the Tupperware ship may well have sailed. “There has been a sharp decline in the number of sellers and a consumer pullback on home products. 

“The brand also doesn’t fully connect with younger consumers. Tupper ware used to be a hotbed of innovation with problem-solving kitchen gadgets, but it’s really lost its edge.” 

IN THE BEGINNING