Tupperware files for bankruptcy as its colorful containers lose relevance

(Reuters) -Tupperware Brands and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Tuesday, succumbing to declining demand for its once-popular colorful food storage containers and ballooning losses.

The company’s struggles to stem the drop in sales resumed after a brief surge during the pandemic when people cooked more at home and turned to its airtight plastic containers to store leftovers.

The post-pandemic jump in costs of critical raw materials such as plastic resin, as well as labor and freight further dented the company’s margins.

In August, Tupperware (NYSE:TUP) had raised substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern for the fourth time since November 2022 and said it faced a liquidity crunch.

The company listed $500 million to $1 billion in estimated assets and $1 billion-$10 billion in estimated liabilities, according to bankruptcy filings in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

Tupperware has been planning to file for bankruptcy protection after breaching the terms of its debt and enlisting legal and financial advisers, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

The report said the bankruptcy preparations began following prolonged negotiations with lenders over the more than $700 million in debt.