Is party over for Tupperware as consumers look to redue their carbon footprint?
Like Hoover, Sellotape and Jacuzzi, Tupperware is a brand that has often been used as a generic name and it was considered the ultimate in plastic food containers. “Was” being the operative word here.
The products took over living rooms in some parts of the world in the 1950s, with suburban parties held, largely by women, to sell Tupperware as a direct marketing concept. Following the “bell jar” airtight invention by American chemist Earl Tupper in 1946, their popularity ballooned as a way to reduce food waste. However, in recent years, the air has gone out of Tupperware.
“I usually buy food storage ware from Home Centre or Ikea,” Saffiya Ansari, a mother of two who lives in Dubai, tells
The National. Tupperware is not stocked in these shops and, in any case, Ansari is not particular about brands when it comes to storage containers.
Loyalty aside, conscious consumerism is on the rise, with many concerned about the material and carbon footprint of their products. When it comes to storing leftover food, an increasing number of consumers are choosing ceramic or glass containers, which are easier to wash than those made from plastic.
Consumer trends, from health to environment, now influence food container choices. For Ansari, microwaving food in a plastic container is a problem.
Numerous studies back this up. According to a 2019 blog by Harvard Medical School: “Certain chemicals in plastic can leach out into the food and beverages we eat.” This leaching could occur “faster and to a greater degree when plastic is exposed to heat”, it said. Plastic’s environmental impact continues to give it a bad rap. Products including water bottles and straws are increasingly being made out of stainless steel, bamboo and other reusable materials.
Analysing the discerning buying habits of modern-day consumers, Tricia Jiminea, an entrepreneur and marketer in Dubai, says: “Specifically for today’s generation, the trend has been to look beyond the product and see the brand’s purpose before buying into it. Values need to be aligned with the target market, and
Following the ‘bell jar’ air-tight invention by Earl Tupper in 1946, their popularity ballooned as a way to reduce waste
emotional connections established, instead of just relying on name recall.”
A 2020 survey by market analysis firm Retail Dives showed 60 per cent of Gen Z consumers consider brands to be an expression of who they are, leading to the heightened success of eco-friendly brands such as Aquaflask and Citron.
The latter, a maker of lunch boxes in Dubai, has built a community of customers who are concerned about what their children use. Hence its slogan: made by mums, inspired by kids.
“Gen Z and millennials have repeatedly started to opt for eco-friendly food storage options, such as glass containers or reusable silicone bags,” Adel Sajan, group managing director of Danube Group, which owns homeware retailer Danube Home, tells The
National. Design and aesthetics also play a big part in UAE consumers’ choices, he says.
“The use of stainless steel containers is popular as the material is known for its durability and ability to keep food fresh for longer periods.”
Tupperware may have been a household name for years, but some argue it failed to evolve with the times. It was only last year, for example, that it began stocking products with US supermarket chain Target, after competitors such as New Zealand’s Sistema and South Korea’s LocknLock.
Evolving consumer preferences and distribution issues aside, product innovation is another cause for concern, as smaller entrepreneurs have come up with varied food storage mechanisms.
All of these factors have led Tupperware to doubt “its ability to continue” despite its seven-decade history. As Sajan puts it: “While Tupperware has served consumers for many years, increased competition and the shift towards aesthetics are here to stay.”