Stores across the country stock more food than they can sell each day — and each day, the extra is thrown in the trash. All that waste is frustrating to environmentalists and to hungry customers, but it might be even more frustrating to the employees forced to carry out the policies.
One worker at a Dunkin' Donuts just shared their frustration with the situation online.
What's happening?
The employee shared their experience on the complaint subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating.
"The amount of donuts we have to throw away that weren't sold on Valentine's Day," they said.
The attached photo shows a refrigerator full of trays of donuts — dozens upon dozens of them. Some are chocolate, some glazed, some covered with powdered sugar, others topped with pink icing and sprinkles — and all are headed for the trash.
"The fact y'all gotta toss em is shamefully wasteful and saddening it's a mandatory thing," one Redditor said.
Sadly, this isn't the first time workers have been forced to throw away perfectly good, delicious donuts. Another Dunkin' was the subject of a dumpster diver's social media post, and competitor Krispy Kreme does the same thing. Even local bakeries and grocery stores have been spotlighted for this behavior.
Why is food waste important?
First of all, this is good, edible food that was just being sold earlier in the day, so if businesses wanted to, they could donate it and feed many hungry mouths.
Second, it costs businesses money to overproduce products, and that expense is reflected in the price of their goods — so consumers are footing the bill for this choice in the end.
Third, throwing away food is like throwing away all the labor, energy, and ingredients that went into making it. All that investment of resources from our planet, and all that pollution, was for nothing.
Is Dunkin' Donuts doing anything about this?
Individual Dunkin' locations are franchises, so the owners have some leeway in how they manage waste. The company does have an opt-in program for franchisees on its website in which they are encouraged to donate donuts at the end of the day or send them to be used as compost.
What's being done about food waste more broadly?
Stores that want to cut back on food waste can compost it like other Dunkin' locations. They can also turn it into animal feed. If it's unexpired, they can also sell it at a discount using apps like Too Good To Go, which are becoming increasingly popular among bakeries lately — so they still make a little money, and customers get a discount.
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