Weight Watchers "Sweet'ner" Jar, circa 1972

01

Artifact Overview

Jean Nidetch, a 40-year-old homemaker who struggled with dieting, founded Weight Watchers in 1963. The program she devised brought dieters together to share stories of their weight loss struggles and highlight successful eating strategies. By the early 1970s, the consumption of sugar was generally not permitted. Weight Watchers instead promoted artificial sweeteners, even introducing this branded product around 1972.

Artifact Details

Artifact

Jar

Date Made

circa 1972

Creator Notes

Made for Weight Watchers and distributed by Foodways (N.Y.) Inc., a licensee of Weight Watchers International, Inc.

Location

Not on exhibit to the public.

Object ID

2017.81.1

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford.

Material

Glass (Material)
Metal
Paper (Fiber product)

Color

Colorless
White (Color)
Black (Color)
Red

Dimensions

Height: 4.625 in
Diameter: 2.25 in

Inscriptions

on front: WEIGHT WATCHERS SWEET'NER / GRANULATED SUGAR SUBSTITUTE / A Blend of Nutritive and Non Nutritive Sweeteners / NET WT. 5 OZ. (142 GMS.) / EQUIVALENT IN SWEETNESS TO 3 LBS. OF SUGAR on back: WEIGHT WATCHERS SWEET'NER / GRANULATED SUGAR SUBSTITUTE / A Blend of Nutritive and Non Nutritive Sweeteners / Jean Nidetch Founder / NET WT. 5 OZ. (142 GMS.) / DISTRIBUTED BY FOODWAYS (N.Y.), INC. VALHALLA, N.Y. 10595 / A LICENSEE OF WEIGHT WATCHERS INTERNATIONAL, INC.