Tupperware facts for kids
 |
|
| Subsidiary | |
| Founded | 1946 in Leominster, Massachusetts |
| Founder | Earl Tupper |
| Products | Preparation, storage, serving products for the kitchen and home, and beauty products |
| Revenue |  US$2.26 billion (2017) |
|
Number of employees
|
13,500 (2010) |
| Parent | Tupperware Brands |
Tupperware is an American company. It makes and sells containers for kitchens and homes. These containers help people prepare, store, and serve food. Tupperware also sells beauty products.
The company was started in 1942 by Earl Tupper. He created his first special container in 1946. Tupperware is now part of a bigger company called Tupperware Brands. In 2007, about 1.9 million people sold Tupperware products directly to customers. In 2013, Indonesia was the biggest market for Tupperware sales, even more than Germany.
Contents
Tupperware's Story
How It Started
Earl Tupper (1907–1983) began making Tupperware products in 1938. He used a special type of plastic called polyethylene. The first Tupperware product came out in 1946 in Leominster, Massachusetts. These plastic containers were great for keeping food fresh at home. They had a special "burping seal" that kept air out, which Earl Tupper patented in 1949.
Tupperware became very popular because of a new way of selling. This was called the "party plan." People would host parties at their homes to show off the products. This idea was created by Brownie Wise (1913–1992). She used to sell products for another company. She became a vice president at Tupperware in 1951. She even created a company just for these parties, called Tupperware Parties Inc.
In the 1950s, Tupperware products sold very well. The company kept having Tupperware parties and gave awards to the best sellers.
Growing Around the World
Tupperware started selling in Europe in 1960. Mila Pond held the first Tupperware parties in Weybridge, England. The company also expanded to other parts of the world. Salespeople would visit homes and show people how Tupperware containers kept carrots fresh. This often led to people wanting to host their own Tupperware parties.
Over the years, Tupperware changed owners a few times. Eventually, Tupperware Brands became its own company in 1996. Tupperware also made a few other products. One example is the Shape O, a toy puzzle for toddlers. It was first made in 1969. Kids put different shapes into matching holes in a ball.
Recent Years
In 2003, Tupperware stopped selling products in the UK and Ireland. They felt customers were not happy with their direct sales method. They tried to restart in the UK in 2011 but canceled it later that year.
By 2007, about 1.9 million people were selling Tupperware products directly. In May 2018, Tupperware left Israel, but it relaunched there online in December 2020. In March 2021, Tupperware stopped operations in the Netherlands. In August 2022, the company announced it would leave the New Zealand market.
In late 2022 and early 2023, Tupperware faced some financial challenges. The company said it needed to find ways to improve its business. In April 2023, Tupperware's stock value dropped a lot. The company warned it might have to close if it didn't get more money.
As of April 2023, Tupperware sells products in 82 countries. In May 2023, the company hired experts to help it explore new options. On June 1, 2023, Tupperware stopped using independent salespeople in the UK and Ireland. They started selling only online and through a TV shopping channel.
Tupperware Parties Today
Tupperware is still mostly sold through the "party plan." A Tupperware party is when a Tupperware seller, called a consultant, invites friends and neighbors to their home. They show off the products there. Parties can also happen at workplaces, schools, or other community groups.
To keep in touch with its sellers, Tupperware used to publish a magazine called Tupperware Sparks. This magazine showed pictures of saleswomen getting awards for selling a lot. Tupperware also held events to get free attention for their products.
The way Tupperware sells products, using many levels of sellers, has been discussed a lot. Some people say it's not always fair. In 2018, Tupperware showed that most of its sellers stayed at the lowest level. Their average earnings were about $653.
In North America, Tupperware has changed its business model. They now focus more on selling directly to customers. They also tried selling in stores like Target in the US and Superstores in Canada. However, these sales were not as good as hoped. In countries like Germany, Australia, and New Zealand, where parties are still a big focus, Tupperware's sales have been going down. In New Zealand, you can now buy products online without a salesperson.
In China, Tupperware products are sold through special "entrepreneurial shopfronts." These are like small stores. There were about 1,900 of these stores in 2005. This is because of laws in China about how companies can sell products.
Tupperware and Women's Roles
The Tupperware party sales model led to different opinions among people who study women's rights. Some people thought Tupperware was good because it gave jobs to women. This was important when laws about equal pay and work for women were not as strong.
However, others thought that Tupperware parties kept women focused only on home tasks. They felt it limited women to staying in the home. They believed it made it harder for women to have a career outside of managing their household.
Images for kids
-
Tupperware containers from 2011
-
Colourful Tupperware containers
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Tupperware para niños
- Gold party
- Hana Cobi Plastic aka Lock & Lock
- Newell Rubbermaid
- Tub (container)
- Generic trademark
