The recent news of Tupperware's bankruptcy has stirred a wave of nostalgia among the Chinese. Those expensive plastic containers are a part of many people's life memories. For the West, this memory is even more profound.

After World War II, the economies of Europe and the United States emerged from the shadow of war and began to recover. Women began to enter the workforce. As the saying goes, where women go, commerce follows. In the year, Florida's Earl Tupper invented a plastic box with a sealing property—bringing convenience for safe and fresh lunches, picnics, and more. At that time, refrigerators were still a luxury, which made these plastic boxes even more popular.

Moreover, Tupperware's business model is also targeted at women, specifically the direct selling model. Female sales representatives (predominantly women) utilize parties (which can be an additional income during leisure time) to enter people's homes and promote a new lifestyle represented by plastic containers, which has been widely embraced. This is the renowned "Tupperware Party" marketing strategy. With this approach, Tupperware expanded into nearly countries. It wasn't until that Tupperware appeared on the shelves of American retail supermarkets. Even when Tupperware filed for bankruptcy protection, it still had . million "cooperative consultants" engaged in direct sales.

However, the era of direct selling has come to an end. The rise of the internet and new e-commerce developments have squeezed out the survival space for direct selling. The end of this business model, which was the cornerstone for Tupperware's success, has had a devastating impact. How severe was the collapse of the marketing system? A senior executive of Tupperware wrote in a bankruptcy court document:

Almost everyone knows what Tupperware is now, but few people know where to find it.

In the month of year, Tupperware attempted to break through the channels of Macy's and related online stores.

The impact on the model is just one aspect of the problem. On the other hand, the issue is that Tupperware boasts of quality and price, but in the era of rampant e-commerce, it faces a large number of cheap competitors. These competitors have designs similar to Tupperware. In comparison, Tupperware lacks competitiveness. In other words, Tupperware is defeated by cheap alternatives.

Another fatal issue is that the changing times have rendered plastic no longer a popular fashion. The era's definition of current fashion is marked by distinct green and environmental protection characteristics, harboring a psychological aversion to plastic products. This is a collapse of intrinsic values for brands that lead lifestyle trends and provide users with avant-garde and quality experiences. The collapse of values means the disappearance of loyalty. In short, the era background that made Tupperware a sensation for over half a century is gradually fading away.

Tupperware has filed for bankruptcy protection. This means that Tupperware Corporation, in the face of unfavorable revenue, is proactively using the law to prevent creditors from stepping in, while also giving itself a buffer period to actively attract funds, complete restructuring, and emerge from its predicament. Tupperware needs to find an alternative development plan for the company. According to Tupperware's company report, its total debt exceeds one billion dollars, and its total assets exceed 1.1 billion dollars. Some creditors are not optimistic about Tupperware's future and do not believe that Tupperware can regain its former glory, so they hope to expedite a liquidation that is favorable to themselves.

However, Tupperware believes that Tupperware is already a part of American culture. It is the number one brand in American plastic household products, and the brand's trustworthiness is recognized worldwide. In the same year, Tupperware was named one of the 100 most trusted consumer goods companies by Newsweek. Tupperware still holds value in the hearts of consumers. Therefore, Tupperware is deeply convinced that the Tupperware brand will not disappear; what is needed is just a transformation.

In fact, Tupperware has been attempting transformation before. As a long-time researcher of kitchenware, delving deeper into the kitchen is not only its duty but also full of potential. Tupperware has recently introduced various innovative and useful designs suitable for home life, such as popcorn makers easy for beginners to use, and portable all-in-one travel ultimate silicone bags. Each product exudes a strong Tupperware flavor.

Tupperware believes that its true obsolescence lies in the digital realm. For over a decade, being unable to adapt to the digital age, clinging to outdated practices, is the root cause of Tupperware's predicament. Therefore, in a statement regarding the filing for bankruptcy protection by Tupperware's President and CEO, Emmanuel "Manny" Chirico, it was expressed as follows:

This process (filing for bankruptcy protection) is intended to provide us with the necessary flexibility as we explore strategic alternatives to support our transformation into a digital-first, technology-driven company, better serving our stakeholders.

How to carry out digital transformation, Tupperware has not disclosed the details. So, nothing is set in stone yet. The real problem for Tupperware is still funding. Before filing for bankruptcy protection, Tupperware had tried hard to secure financing, but the amount of funds that the financial parties could provide was far from meeting Tupperware's actual needs. In any case, reaching the stage of bankruptcy protection, the question of whether the Tupperware brand can still exist or how much it is worth has come to the moment of revealing the answer.