Having too much inventory and not enough people to stock can easily lead to a messy situation in a store's stockroom. The reasons for excess product vary, and it's not always a case of over-ordering or poor inventory management. Either way, business waste can lead to items spoiling before they even hit the shelves, resulting in lost profits and more garbage in landfills.
One new Kroger employee had a rude awakening when they walked into the retailer's backroom and documented their findings in the r/kroger Reddit forum.
What's happening?
The poster uploaded several photos of their Kroger's unorganized stockroom, showing hundreds of boxes of candies, snacks, alcohol, and more lining the walls. The Redditor noted the backroom was so congested that employees had to bring several grocery carts full of cardboard to the floor to make room for a truck shipment.
"The amount of alcohol in that back room is out of control," one person replied.
"That's messed up. Some people man…" another said.
"Yeah I do believe someone would be answering to OSHA in the near future," someone else commented.
Why is business waste important?
If businesses overorder certain items and aren't able to stock enough of them, it will inevitably affect customers' shopping experience and perhaps cause them to shop elsewhere if items aren't stocked regularly. It also reflects poorly on the company if inventory isn't managed properly.
Not to mention, food that is never stocked or unsold will be thrown away, contributing to the massive amounts of garbage in landfills. According to Recycle Track Systems, grocery stores in the U.S. alone generate about 16 billion pounds of food waste annually. That equates to about 30% of all food in retail stores being thrown out.
As this waste breaks down in landfills, it releases dangerous polluting gases such as methane, which contribute to planet-warming pollution that causes extreme weather.
🗣️ Should grocery stores donate food that's past its sell-by date?
🔘 Yes — as long as it's not bad 🤢
🔘 Yes — but only certain foods 🥫
🔘 Only if it doesn't cost the store 💸
🔘 No — it could lead to problems 👎
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
Is Kroger doing anything about this?
From the limited information available in the post, it's unclear if this is a one-time issue at that particular location or an indication of a broader problem across Kroger stores. However, according to the company, it is making strides toward zero waste by donating excess food to needy families. Since 2017, Kroger has donated over $1 billion to charities that fight hunger, including over 580 million pounds of fresh food given directly to communities.
While donating food can be iffy since companies have to ensure it's safe for human consumption, stores like Kroger prove that giving away food isn't as complicated as it may seem. For example, when a Kroger in Arkansas lost power during a storm, it was able to give over 76,000 pounds of food, including perishables, to a local food bank.
Trader Joe's also gave away thousands of dollars worth of food to customers when the store's refrigeration went out.
What's being done about food waste more broadly?
Many companies are getting creative when it comes to tackling food waste. For instance, the San Francisco-based organization ExtraFood is turning wasted food into meals for those in need. HelloFresh and recycling company Denali have also teamed up to keep millions of pounds of food waste out of landfills and transform it into nutrient-rich compost for farmers.
Individually, we can put a dent in food waste by composting our food scraps and shopping smarter at the store. It takes some effort, but doing more with less can help you save money and contribute to a healthier planet.
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