In an ideal world, there wouldn't be any food waste, and companies could donate or give away unsold goods more efficiently. Until that happens, dumpster divers are snagging the unclaimed spoils and showing off their hauls on social media, as one Redditor did recently.
What's happening?
A Reddit user posted photos of dozens of bags of candy and snacks they found in dumpsters, presumably at Five Below and Rite Aid stores.
Pictured are bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups that the poster said had 50 candies each, Nerds jelly beans, Flipz pretzels, and a couple of Rice Krispies Treats. All the food was unexpired, although one of the Reese's was nearing its "best by" date.
"Crazy what store[s] will throw away," the original poster said in the caption.
And that was just a portion of what they brought home. The OP said, "Not pictured is enough salad to open an all you can eat salad bar (at least 50 bags…), about 2⅖ lbs of [Reese's] I've eaten/shared, 3 bags of nerds jelly beans, 2 bags of Flipz, and 1 rice crispy treat."
"Stop rubbing it in, I'm already seething with jealousy!" one user shared.
Though some commenters criticized the OP about the questionable nutrition in the food, others were upset by the food waste and believed it could have been avoided.
Why is food waste concerning?
According to Skip Shapiro Enterprises, food waste costs businesses, food producers, and taxpayers around $218 billion a year and squanders resources and energy throughout the supply chain.
In addition, throwing away perfectly good food exacerbates global hunger. Although companies must take precautions to avoid liability regarding food safety, processed foods like those the Redditor found often are safe to consume long past their expiration date.
Also, according to the EPA, food waste is extremely harmful to the environment. It accounts for nearly 25% of trash in landfills and produces large amounts of planet-warming gases as it decomposes.
Are companies doing anything about this?
While The Cool Down couldn't find specific food waste policies, Five Below is taking steps to operate sustainably, including reducing its carbon impact and offering recyclable packaging. Rite Aid's 2023 Sustainability Report indicated that in 2022, several of its California stores donated 20,000 pounds of unsold food to food banks.
As far as the food waste, some commenters speculated that the items were tossed because of a recall. Companies have to follow strict guidelines to ensure food is safe for consumption, especially when it comes to produce.
However, the companies may have simply been following store protocol and didn't want to take chances with excess food being donated or given away.
What's being done about food waste more broadly?
Some large grocery chains, such as Kroger and Trader Joe's, have donated or given away food to customers after power outages. Also, Albertsons has teamed up with Uber and Too Good To Go to help divert its food waste to nonprofits and customers.
You can also combat food waste at home by composting leftovers, planning meals before you shop, and storing your food properly, so it stays fresh longer.
Join our free newsletter for cool news and actionable info that makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
