Tupperware is Dying

You know what’s rare in the modern world? Companies making products that last.

Luckily, there have been a few that have held to their word and made a product that can be used for a lifetime without replacement. One of those companies is Tupperware — a company so solid that it gets credit for any plastic food container, even if it wasn’t made by them.

Like Jacuzzi for hot tubs and Kleenex for tissues, Tupperware is a brand known by about everyone.

One downside to making such a good product, however, is that eventually everyone has it and never needs to replace it.

This week, the legendary company announced it was filing for bankruptcy.

Most kitchen cabinets around the country and much of the world, are already filled with Tupperware products, making it hard for the company to find new growth areas. Plastic isn’t necessarily a popular choice for anything these days, either, pushing consumers to other options that are safer for the environment and themselves.

Consumers are now concerned about ingesting micro-plastics so storing food inside of a plastic tub isn’t as appealing as it once was.

Tupperware changed the types of plastics it uses to create its products long ago, making it less likely for the harmful chemicals to leach into food if it reaches a certain temperature. But the overall push away from plastic and towards the likes of glass and stainless steel has made it hard for a company like Tupperware to retain consumer trust.

There is a chance Tupperware will be able to resume operation through its bankruptcy filing, but it has already had to take on a ton of debt in recent years to stay afloat. It is unlikely that there is any path forward for keeping the company alive on its own.

The likely path is that Tupperware sells to a larger company that can absorb its growing losses and try to keep the brand alive. But if you’re still super into Tupperware products, it might be time to stock up.